PFAS in the tap water in East Flanders
The tap water in East Flanders meets the legal standard. On average it stays below the strict Flemish target value, but not everywhere and not all the time. Here you can read what the figures mean and what you can do yourself.
See the figuresShop ZeroWaterHow much PFAS is in the tap water in East Flanders?
In East Flanders, your tap water usually comes from Farys (including Ghent) or from De Watergroep. Farys has published its 2024 and 2025 measurements. For De Watergroep, the results per water production centre are known.
- Meets the law. The highest Farys sample had 34 ng/l for 20 PFAS combined. The legal limit is 100 ng/l.
- Below the target on average. About 3 ng/l on average. A few samples were higher, up to about twice the target value (9 ng/l).
- Zele stands out. At De Watergroep's water production centre in Zele, the median was above the target value in 2023 and 2024. De Watergroep is considering renewing the activated carbon filters there more often.
Why East Flanders in particular?
- Water from different sources. Much of the water comes from surface water, such as the reservoirs at Kluizen (Evergem). They supply water from the Meetjesland to the Waasland. Farys buys most of its water from other companies. Surface water often contains more PFAS than groundwater.
- 3M is now in East Flanders. Since Beveren, Kruibeke and Zwijndrecht merged (2025), the 3M plant in Zwijndrecht lies in this province. The advice there is about groundwater from your own well, vegetables from your garden and eggs from your own hens. Tap water comes from the water company.
- All of Flanders. According to the Flanders Environment Agency (VMM), about 1 in 4 drinking water samples in Flanders was above the 4 ng/l target value in 2024.
Unit: nanograms per litre (ng/l), sum of the four PFAS in the target value (PFOA, PFOS, PFNA and PFHxS). Sources: Farys, monitoring 2024–2025 (the whole Farys network, so also outside East Flanders) and the answer to written question no. 49 in the Flemish Parliament (2025). Figures per municipality are not yet public. Status: September 2026.
What is PFAS?
PFAS is a large group of man-made substances. They are found in many things you use every day.
- Non-stick pans
- Rain jackets and outdoor clothing
- Food packaging
- Cosmetics and firefighting foam
Why is it called a ‘forever chemical’?
- PFAS hardly break down in nature.
- They enter rivers and groundwater through factories and products.
- That water is also used to make drinking water.
- They stay in your body for a long time.
Why PFAS deserves attention
EFSA, the European Food Safety Authority, says: part of the European population takes in more PFAS than is good for their health. This comes mainly from food, but also from drinking water.
It builds up
Your body clears PFAS only slowly. Small amounts add up over the years.
Effect on your immune system
According to EFSA, even small amounts of PFAS can make your immune system work less well.
The target is stricter than the law
Flanders and Wallonia aim for 4 nanograms per litre for four PFAS. The law is less strict. Below you can read the difference.
Law and target: what's the difference?
There are two numbers you may read about. They don't measure the same thing, but this is how it works:
- The law (EU): a maximum of 100 nanograms per litre for 20 PFAS combined. It applies across the EU from 12 January 2026. Brussels (2024) and Wallonia (2025) already applied it earlier.
- The target: 4 nanograms per litre for four PFAS combined (PFOA, PFOS, PFNA and PFHxS). Flanders and Wallonia want to reach this by 2028. It is based on EFSA advice.
The target is stricter because it looks at the four PFAS that have been studied most and that EFSA considers most important for your health.
Good to know
- Tap water in Belgium is safe to drink, say VMM (Flanders), SWDE (Wallonia) and Vivaqua (Brussels).
- Drinking water made from groundwater usually contains less PFAS than water made from surface water such as rivers and canals.
- About 97% of the tap water in Brussels comes from Wallonia.
- Boiling does not remove PFAS from your water.
ZeroWater filters PFAS
Just keep drinking tap water. Want to take in less PFAS through your water? Then a certified filter is a simple extra step.
less PFAS in your water
This percentage applies to PFOA and PFOS, the two best-known and most studied PFAS. The ZeroWater 5-stage filter has been tested for these to the NSF/ANSI 53 standard and certified by the independent institute IAPMO. View the certificate.
Tested, certified
Not a promise, but an independently tested result. Tested with far more PFOA and PFOS than is found in Belgian tap water.
More than just PFAS
The filter is also certified for lead, chromium-6, mercury and chlorine. That makes your water taste purer too.
See it for yourself 000 PPM
Every jug comes with a TDS meter. It shows how pure your water is. Does it show 006? Then it's time for a new filter.
Start filtering right away
Choose the jug that suits your household. A filter is included, so you can filter your first jug of tap water straight away.
1.7 litresZeroWater 1.7 litre jug
Compact and light. Fits in most fridge doors. Handy for 1 or 2 people.
Add to cartView product →
4.7 litresZeroWater 4.7 litre jug
More water in one go. For families who drink a lot and want to refill less often.
Add to cartView product →
5.4 litresZeroWater 5.4 litre dispenser
With a tap. Put it in the fridge or on the counter and pour your water whenever you like.
Add to cartView product →Questions about PFAS in East Flanders
Can I still drink the tap water in East Flanders?
Yes. The tap water in East Flanders meets the legal standard. Farys, De Watergroep and the VMM say you can simply keep drinking it. Want to take in less PFOA and PFOS? Then you can filter your water as an extra step.
Which water company supplies my water?
In most of East Flanders it is Farys, including Ghent. In part of the province it is De Watergroep. You can see it on your water bill, or look up your municipality at AquaFlanders (in Dutch).
Does 3M in Zwijndrecht affect my tap water?
Around 3M there is advice for groundwater from your own well, vegetables from your garden and eggs from your own hens. Tap water comes from the water company and is checked separately. Live nearby? Follow the advice of the municipality of Beveren-Kruibeke-Zwijndrecht.
What about TFA? I read about that too.
TFA is a very small PFAS-like substance. It does not count towards the 4 ng/l target value. Farys measured 1.17 micrograms per litre of TFA on average. That is below the Flemish precautionary value of 15.6 micrograms per litre. ZeroWater has no certificate for TFA, so we make no promise about it.
Does ZeroWater filter all PFAS?
Honest answer: ZeroWater is certified for PFOA and PFOS, the two best-known PFAS. There are thousands of types of PFAS. We have no certificate for the other types, so we make no promise about them.
Does the TDS meter show how much PFAS is in my water?
No. The meter measures dissolved solids such as limescale and metals. PFAS are present in water in such tiny amounts that a TDS meter cannot measure them. The meter does help you see when your filter is used up: when it shows 006, replace your filter.
Know what you drink
Just tap water, but with less PFOA and PFOS. For you and your family at home.
Shop ZeroWaterReplacement filters- Farys – Monitoring PFAS and TFA in drinking water, 2024–2025 (in Dutch). farys.be
- Flemish Parliament – Written question no. 49 on PFAS in drinking water, minister's answer, 2025 (in Dutch). vlaamsparlement.be
- De Watergroep – Kluizen water production centre (in Dutch). dewatergroep.be
- VMM – Is there PFOS or PFAS in tap water? (in Dutch). vmm.vlaanderen.be
- VRT NWS – 1 in 4 samples contains too much PFAS, 8 December 2025 (in Dutch). vrt.be
- VRT NWS – Merged municipality Beveren-Kruibeke-Zwijndrecht joins East Flanders, December 2023 (in Dutch). vrt.be
- Municipality of Beveren-Kruibeke-Zwijndrecht – PFAS approach around Zwijndrecht (in Dutch). gemeentebkz.be
- EFSA – PFAS in food: risk assessment, 2020. efsa.europa.eu
- EU Drinking Water Directive 2020/2184. eur-lex.europa.eu
- ZeroWater Performance Data Sheet, IAPMO certification to NSF/ANSI 53 and 42. View PDF
ZeroWater is certified for the reduction of PFOA and PFOS. Results were achieved under laboratory conditions; actual results may vary.