pfasnearmeDrinking water quality from official sources

PFAS in Braine-le-Château's tap water: under 4 ng/L, none of the four main PFAS detected

Last PFAS check: · Source: VMM

PFAS in drinking water

None of the 4 most harmful PFAS detected

Amount found in the water < 4 ng/L the 4 most harmful PFAS (PFAS-4) · the lab's detection limit 20 PFAS looked for, 10.8 ng/L found in total
Our health benchmark 0.5 ng/L

The lab sees nothing below 4 ng/L, 8 times our benchmark of 0.5 ng/L. Water above our benchmark would pass this check unnoticed.

0.5 ng/L is our benchmark, not an official limit. Same EFSA method as Sweden, Denmark and the Netherlands, but stricter. It's a yearly average, compared here with the latest check.

How we chose 0.5 ng/L

The PFAS figures come from the sample of 17 December 2025 in distribution zone ZW1147 (SWDE), one of the 4 zones serving Braine-le-Château. Part of Braine-le-Château is also served by Flemish supply area LG24_MW22; its 2024 annual PFAS-4 median (PFAS-4 not detected) is listed in the full results table.

More about this result
Target value in Belgium (binding from 2028) within the limit
below this limit < 4 ng/L · Limit: 4 ng/L
Legal limit in Sweden (since 2026) within the limit
below this limit < 4 ng/L · Limit: 4 ng/L
Limit in Denmark (since 2021) no verdict
finer than the lab's detection limit < 4 ng/L · Limit: 2 ng/L
Limit in Germany (from 2028) within the limit
below this limit < 4 ng/L · Limit: 20 ng/L

The US also limits PFOA and PFOS to 4 ng/L each, per substance.

The lab detects each of the four substances from 1 ng/L upward. None reached that limit, so their total is below 4 ng/L rather than zero.

Legal limit (Belgium and EU) within the limit
11 % of the EU limit 0.0108 µg/L · Limit: 0.1 µg/L

checked on 17 December 2025

20 PFAS (see each substance)
PFAS substance Value
PFBA 0.0046 µg/L
PFPeA 0.0028 µg/L
PFHxA 0.0024 µg/L
PFBS 0.001 µg/L
PFOS <0,001 µg/L
PFOA <0,001 µg/L
PFHxS <0,001 µg/L
PFHpA <0,001 µg/L
PFNA <0,001 µg/L
PFDA <0,001 µg/L
PFUnDA <0,001 µg/L
PFDoDA <0,001 µg/L
PFTrDA <0,001 µg/L
PFPeS <0,001 µg/L
PFHpS <0,001 µg/L
PFNS <0,001 µg/L
PFDS <0,001 µg/L
PFUnDS <0,001 µg/L
PFDoDS <0,001 µg/L
PFTrDS <0,001 µg/L

None found. The lab sees nothing below 4 ng/L, so our 0.5 ng/L benchmark cannot be checked.

Legal limit (Belgium and EU)
10.8 ng/L sum of 20 PFAS, below the 100 ng/L limit
Last PFAS test
17 December 2025
Water supplier
De Watergroep, INBW, SWDE

In Braine-le-Château, none of the 4 most closely watched PFAS (PFAS-4) was detected at the latest PFAS check on 17 December 2025. The total is below 4 ng/L, the sum of the detection limits and 8 times our 0.5 ng/L benchmark. Sum of 20 PFAS: 10.8 ng/L (0.0108 µg/L), below the EU legal limit (100 ng/L). 90 checks since 21 September 2023: PFAS-4 up to 30 ng/L, sometimes below the detection limit, averaging at least 4.81 ng/L over 12 months (non-detects as 0). Falling on the main network. Source: SPW-ARNE / SWDE – Etat des lieux du monitoring PFAS dans les eaux distribuées (sept. 2023 – déc. 2025); Vlaamse Milieumaatschappij (VMM) – Kwaliteit van het drinkwater 2024, bijlage 2.

Details and sources
Water supplier: De Watergroep, INBW, SWDE Latest water check: 17 December 2025 Data updated on

PFAS over time in Braine-le-Château

90 PFAS checks since 21 September 2023, values as published. Samples come from 2 distribution networks. The trend refers to the network “ZW1147 (SWDE)”.

0.5 ng/L30 ng/L021 September 202317 December 2025
PFAS-4 sum per check in ng/L. Dashed line: pfasnearme's 0.5 ng/L benchmark. Hollow dots: below the detection limit.
DatePFAS-4Sum of 20 PFASNetwork
< 4 ng/L10.8 ng/LZW1147 (SWDE)
< 4 ng/L2 ng/LZW1147 (SWDE)
< 4 ng/L16.7 ng/LZIECBW5 (INBW)
< 4 ng/L10 ng/LZW1147 (SWDE)
< 4 ng/L18.4 ng/LZIECBW5 (INBW)
< 4 ng/L1.2 ng/LZW1147 (SWDE)
< 4 ng/L1.5 ng/LZW1147 (SWDE)
< 4 ng/L12.2 ng/LZW1147 (SWDE)
< 4 ng/L13.9 ng/LZW1147 (SWDE)
< 4 ng/L23.4 ng/LZIECBW5 (INBW)
< 4 ng/L23.7 ng/LZW1147 (SWDE)
< 4 ng/L1.3 ng/LZW1147 (SWDE)
Show the 78 earlier checks (back to 21 September 2023)
< 4 ng/L14.3 ng/LZW1147 (SWDE)
< 4 ng/L17 ng/LZIECBW5 (INBW)
1.1 ng/L18.7 ng/LZIECBW5 (INBW)
< 4 ng/L11.4 ng/LZW1147 (SWDE)
< 4 ng/L11.6 ng/LZW1147 (SWDE)
< 4 ng/L< 20 ng/LZW1147 (SWDE)
< 4 ng/L10.2 ng/LZW1147 (SWDE)
< 4 ng/L12 ng/LZIECBW5 (INBW)
< 4 ng/L4.5 ng/LZW1147 (SWDE)
1.2 ng/L11.1 ng/LZW1147 (SWDE)
< 4 ng/L13 ng/LZIECBW5 (INBW)
2.8 ng/L15.6 ng/LZW1147 (SWDE)
1.1 ng/L15.8 ng/LZW1147 (SWDE)
5 ng/L27 ng/LZIECBW5 (INBW)
< 4 ng/L1.8 ng/LZW1147 (SWDE)
10 ng/L38.9 ng/LZW1147 (SWDE)
< 4 ng/L2 ng/LZW1147 (SWDE)
23 ng/L71 ng/LZW1147 (SWDE)
22 ng/L75 ng/LZIECBW5 (INBW)
9 ng/L37 ng/LZW1147 (SWDE)
18 ng/L62 ng/LZW1147 (SWDE)
11 ng/L42 ng/LZW1147 (SWDE)
16 ng/L56 ng/LZW1147 (SWDE)
12 ng/L50 ng/LZIECBW5 (INBW)
20 ng/L54 ng/LZW1147 (SWDE)
20 ng/L70 ng/LZW1147 (SWDE)
16 ng/L59 ng/LZIECBW5 (INBW)
17 ng/L61 ng/LZW1147 (SWDE)
12 ng/L56 ng/LZIECBW5 (INBW)
< 4 ng/L3 ng/LZW1147 (SWDE)
< 4 ng/L6 ng/LZW1147 (SWDE)
24 ng/L74 ng/LZIECBW5 (INBW)
< 4 ng/L3 ng/LZW1147 (SWDE)
< 4 ng/L4 ng/LZW1147 (SWDE)
24 ng/L69 ng/LZIECBW5 (INBW)
< 4 ng/L4 ng/LZW1147 (SWDE)
25 ng/L77 ng/LZIECBW5 (INBW)
< 4 ng/L5 ng/LZW1147 (SWDE)
22 ng/L65 ng/LZIECBW5 (INBW)
< 4 ng/L5 ng/LZW1147 (SWDE)
25 ng/L81 ng/LZIECBW5 (INBW)
< 4 ng/L5 ng/LZW1147 (SWDE)
19 ng/L65 ng/LZW1147 (SWDE)
21 ng/L57 ng/LZIECBW5 (INBW)
1 ng/L8 ng/LZW1147 (SWDE)
< 4 ng/L8 ng/LZW1147 (SWDE)
18 ng/L64 ng/LZIECBW5 (INBW)
< 4 ng/L7 ng/LZW1147 (SWDE)
18 ng/L60 ng/LZIECBW5 (INBW)
28 ng/L75 ng/LZIECBW5 (INBW)
14 ng/L43 ng/LZW1147 (SWDE)
27 ng/L77 ng/LZW1147 (SWDE)
25 ng/L74 ng/LZW1147 (SWDE)
26 ng/L92 ng/LZIECBW5 (INBW)
22 ng/L71 ng/LZIECBW5 (INBW)
< 8 ng/L6 ng/LZW1147 (SWDE)
13 ng/L53 ng/LZW1147 (SWDE)
14 ng/L54 ng/LZIECBW5 (INBW)
< 8 ng/L3 ng/LZW1147 (SWDE)
15 ng/L60 ng/LZW1147 (SWDE)
26 ng/L78 ng/LZW1147 (SWDE)
26 ng/L81 ng/LZIECBW5 (INBW)
20 ng/L59 ng/LZW1147 (SWDE)
26 ng/L77 ng/LZIECBW5 (INBW)
25 ng/L77 ng/LZW1147 (SWDE)
< 4 ng/L3 ng/LZW1147 (SWDE)
25 ng/L74 ng/LZW1147 (SWDE)
21 ng/L66 ng/LZW1147 (SWDE)
12 ng/L43 ng/LZW1147 (SWDE)
2 ng/L11 ng/LZW1147 (SWDE)
30 ng/L88 ng/LZW1147 (SWDE)
1 ng/L8 ng/LZW1147 (SWDE)
16 ng/L52 ng/LZW1147 (SWDE)
24 ng/L68 ng/LZW1147 (SWDE)
12 ng/L39 ng/LZW1147 (SWDE)
25 ng/L68 ng/LZW1147 (SWDE)
29 ng/L71 ng/LZIECBW5 (INBW)
17 ng/L66 ng/LZW1147 (SWDE)

“<” means not detected, the figure being the detection limit. “–” means not published. Labs have only reported the PFAS-4 sum (SANDRE code 9268) since autumn 2025. How to read a PFAS result

What the latest check found

The authorities have not published an overall verdict for this water.

Values to watch

These results are close to their legal limit, or over it.

What was tested Value Limit Status
Sum of 20 PFAS · maximum 2024 · LG24_MW22 0.073 µg/l ≤ 0.1 µg/l within the limit
See all 28 test results
What was tested Value Limit Status
PFAS-4 (PFOA + PFOS + PFNA + PFHxS) · maximum 2024 · LG24_MW22 0.024 µg/L ≤ 0.004 µg/L above the 2028 target
Sum of 20 PFAS · maximum 2024 · LG24_MW22 0.073 µg/l ≤ 0.1 µg/l within the limit
PFAS total · median 2024 · LG24_MW22 0.0135 µg/l ≤ 0.5 µg/l within the limit
PFAS total · maximum 2024 · LG24_MW22 0.078 µg/l ≤ 0.5 µg/l within the limit
Trifluoroacetic acid (TFA) · median 2024 · LG24_MW15 1.75 µg/l ≤ 15.6 µg/l within the limit
Trifluoroacetic acid (TFA) · maximum 2024 · LG24_MW15 3.2 µg/l ≤ 15.6 µg/l within the limit
Nitrate · median 2024 · LG24_MW22 16 mg/l ≤ 50 mg/l within the limit
Nitrite · median 2024 · LG24_MW15 0 mg/l ≤ 0.5 mg/l within the limit
Lead · median 2024 · LG24_MW15 0 µg/l ≤ 10 µg/l within the limit
Copper · median 2024 · LG24_MW15 0.004 mg/l ≤ 2 mg/l within the limit
Nickel · median 2024 · LG24_MW22 4 µg/l ≤ 20 µg/l within the limit
Arsenic · median 2024 · LG24_MW15 0 µg/l ≤ 10 µg/l within the limit
Cadmium · median 2024 · LG24_MW15 0 µg/l ≤ 5 µg/l within the limit
Chromium · median 2024 · LG24_MW15 0 µg/l ≤ 50 µg/l within the limit
Uranium · median 2024 · LG24_MW22 1.85 µg/l ≤ 30 µg/l within the limit
Fluoride · median 2024 · LG24_MW15 0.23 mg/l ≤ 1.5 mg/l within the limit
Escherichia coli · median 2024 · LG24_MW15 0 /100 ml ≤ 0 /100 ml within the limit
Enterococci · median 2024 · LG24_MW15 0 /100 ml ≤ 0 /100 ml within the limit
Coliform bacteria · median 2024 · LG24_MW15 0 /100 ml ≤ 0 /100 ml within the limit
pH · median 2024 · LG24_MW22 7.145 6.5–9.2 within the limit
Water hardness · median 2024 · LG24_MW15 44.7 Fr° ≤ 67.5 Fr° within the limit
Electrical conductivity · median 2024 · LG24_MW22 780 µS/cm ≤ 2,100 µS/cm within the limit
Chloride · median 2024 · LG24_MW22 39.86 mg/l ≤ 250 mg/l within the limit
Sulphate · median 2024 · LG24_MW22 105.46 mg/l ≤ 250 mg/l within the limit
Sodium · median 2024 · LG24_MW22 25.35 mg/l ≤ 200 mg/l within the limit
Iron · median 2024 · LG24_MW15 0 µg/l ≤ 200 µg/l within the limit
PFAS-4 (PFOA + PFOS + PFNA + PFHxS) · median 2024 · LG24_MW22 not quantified ≤ 0.004 µg/L within the limit
Sum of 20 PFAS · median 2024 · LG24_MW22 0.0135 µg/l ≤ 0.1 µg/l within the limit

Frequently asked questions

Is tap water in Braine-le-Château safe to drink?

All the values shown here (17 December 2025) are within the legal limits, but the authorities have not published an overall verdict for this water.

How high are PFAS levels in Braine-le-Château's drinking water?

The total of 20 PFAS ("forever chemicals") was last measured at 10.8 ng/L. The EU limit is 100 ng/L, so this water is at 11 % of the limit. (below the EU limit)

Does the water in Braine-le-Château also meet the strictest limits in Europe?

As far as this check can tell, yes. None of the four compounds was quantified, so their total is below 4 ng/L, the sum of the laboratory's detection limits, and under Sweden's legal limit of 4 ng/L in force since 2026.

Are PFAS levels rising in Braine-le-Château's tap water?

No, they are falling. On the main network, the PFAS-4 sum went from 17 ng/L (21 September 2023) to 1.2 ng/L (12 September 2025) across 33 quantified checks.

Which PFAS limits apply in Belgium?

Belgium applies the EU limit of 100 ng/L for the sum of 20 PFAS as binding law (Flemish Drinkwaterbesluit of 2023, Walloon Code de l'eau since February 2025). For the four most harmful PFAS (PFAS-4) all three regions set a target of 4 ng/L that becomes binding in 2028. This site's 0.5 ng/L benchmark is stricter than both.

How hard is the water in Braine-le-Château?

The water hardness in Braine-le-Château is 44.7 Fr° (hard). This mainly matters for household appliances and detergent dosing, not for health.

Where does this data come from?

All values come from official publications: SPW-ARNE / SWDE – Etat des lieux du monitoring PFAS dans les eaux distribuées (sept. 2023 – déc. 2025); Vlaamse Milieumaatschappij (VMM) – Kwaliteit van het drinkwater 2024, bijlage 2. Retrieved on 28 September 2026.

Same water network

Same distribution network as Braine-le-Château, so in principle the same water.

Halle
PFAS-4: 4 ng/L
Geraardsbergen
PFAS-4: 4 ng/L
Tubize
PFAS-4: 1 ng/L
Pajottegem
PFAS-4: 3 ng/L
Lessines
PFAS-4: below 4 ng/L
Enghien
PFAS-4: below 4 ng/L
Silly
PFAS-4: below 4 ng/L
Pepingen
PFAS-4: 2 ng/L

Nearby cities

The closest to Braine-le-Château on this site.

Ittre
PFAS-4: 1 ng/L 5 km away
Braine-l'Alleud
PFAS-4: below 4 ng/L 5 km away
Beersel
PFAS-4: 2 ng/L 8 km away
Waterloo
PFAS-4: 3 ng/L 9 km away
Sint-Genesius-Rode
PFAS-4: 4 ng/L 10 km away

Data source
SPW-ARNE / SWDE – Etat des lieux du monitoring PFAS dans les eaux distribuées (sept. 2023 – déc. 2025); Vlaamse Milieumaatschappij (VMM) – Kwaliteit van het drinkwater 2024, bijlage 2
https://environnement.wallonie.be/home/gestion-environnementale/environnement-sante/pfas
License
SPW: non vérifiée; VMM: Modellicentie voor gratis hergebruik (Vlaamse overheid) – https://vmm.vlaanderen.be/disclaimer
Retrieved
28 September 2026
Supply networks
LG24_MW15 (De Watergroep), LG24_MW22 (De Watergroep), ZIECBW5 (INBW), ZW1147 (SWDE)

Flanders: Vlaamse Milieumaatschappij (VMM), drinking water quality 2024, one annual figure per supply area (median and maximum of the measurements in the network). Licence: free reuse with attribution (Flemish model licence). Next edition expected in October 2026.

Wallonia: Service public de Wallonie (SPW-ARNE) with SWDE, PFAS monitoring of distributed water, one row per sample and distribution zone, September 2023 to December 2025. The reuse licence for this document is still to be confirmed with SPW; attributed to SPW-ARNE and SWDE meanwhile.

Limits in Belgium. Belgium applies the EU limit of 100 ng/L for the sum of 20 PFAS as binding law (Flemish Drinkwaterbesluit of 2023, Walloon Code de l'eau since February 2025). For the four most harmful PFAS (PFAS-4) all three regions set a target of 4 ng/L that becomes binding in 2028. This site's 0.5 ng/L benchmark is stricter than both.

Jaarcijfers 2024 van de metingen in het distributienet per leveringsgebied (VMM). De getoonde waarde is de mediaan van 2024; het maximum staat als aparte waarde "Maximale concentratie". 0 = niet gedetecteerd (onder de rapportagegrens). De gemeente valt in 2 leveringsgebieden (LG24_MW15, LG24_MW22); de PFAS-cijfers komen uit leveringsgebied LG24_MW22, het gebied met de hoogste mediane PFAS-4-waarde. Résultats du monitoring PFAS des eaux distribuées (SPW-ARNE, coordination SWDE), une ligne par prélèvement et zone de distribution (ZDE) ; la commune est desservie par 2 zones (ZIECBW5, ZW1147). Valeurs publiées en ng/L, converties en µg/L ; un « < » indique que tous les composés étaient sous la limite de quantification. Licence de réutilisation non vérifiée pour ce document (les données ouvertes du SPW sont normalement CC BY 4.0) ; attribution SPW-ARNE et SWDE en attendant confirmation.

This site is a data project, not an official source. If in doubt, check with your water supplier or local authority.