PFAS, PFOA & PFOS WATER CHEMICALS ALERT

You may have recently heard news reports about the following contaminants in Australian water sources:

- PFAS: Per- and polyfluoroalkyl
- PFOA: Perfluorooctanoic acid
- PFOS: perfluorooctane sulfonate

Also known as forever chemicals, PFAS is the collective term for approximately 14,000 PFOA and PFOS manmade chemicals. PFAS are commonly used in non-stick cooking items, water resistant clothing and firefighting foams, and have been bioaccumulating in the environment for years. Although limited studies have been conducted on their effects on humans, the World Health Organisation has recently classified them as carcinogenic to humans and likely have “no safe level of exposure”.

The recent spike in interest around PFAS presumably comes from a study which tested multiple drinking water sites across Australia, detecting PFAS in 50% of samples tested. Some samples were found to be 635 times higher than Australian standards, which is already much higher than acceptable limits in other countries such as the US and Canada. Australia’s high allowance for PFAS in drinking water is concerning experts, hence they are recommending Australians should filter their drinking water to reduce exposure.

For mains water, the current Puretec range has a few different levels that we can recommend to reduce PFAS in water sources:

1. The best PFAS reduction in the Puretec range can be provided by a combination of the Filterwall F5 and the RO270. Independent studies have highlighted that reverse osmosis systems are the most effective at reducing PFAS in water sources, this system will also reduce other contaminants like heavy metals and fluoride for drinking water, and reduce chlorine, sediment and PFAS for the whole house.

2. To increase the likelihood of PFAS reduction, we recommend a combination of the Filterwall F5 and the Puremix Z7. The more carbon the water has to go through the better chance the system has to reduce PFAS. This will provide extra protection for the consumers drinking water.

3. To reduce PFAS at the most basic level, please recommend the Filterwall F5 for whole house protection. Carbon has been shown in some studies to be able to trap PFAS and reduce their levels in water.

For bore water, as there are usually more complex considerations such as other contaminants (or potentially very high levels of PFAS in some regions), please contact the Water Treatment Team at Puretec to discuss each application.

You can visit our landing page for more information.

Disclaimer: While Puretec has commenced research into these contaminants and effective means of their reduction this is a relatively new issue and as such we don't yet have data on the exact reduction rate of these products. However, based on independent studies we believe these products above are the best options in our range to reduce PFAS. Please recommend the consumer continue to independently test the water for PFAS in an accredited laboratory.

If you have any further questions or concerns, please contact our friendly customer care team on 1800 244 389 who will be happy to help.