PFAS in Essen's tap water: none of the four main PFAS detected
PFAS figure: annual value · Source: VMM
PFAS in drinking water
not precise enough to compare
Some of the four PFAS were too small for the lab to measure. The check cannot say whether this water is above or below our benchmark of 0.5 ng/L.
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.
The PFAS figures are the 2024 annual median for supply area Pidpa3, which serves Essen. The page leads with the median, the typical value in the network.
More about this result
The US also limits PFOA and PFOS to 4 ng/L each, per substance.
Substances below the detection limit count as 0, so the real total may be higher.
checked on 31 December 2024
The test cannot say if the water is above or below our 0.5 ng/L benchmark.
Water report for Essen
Get new PFAS results for Essen, with a short explanation. At most one update a week, only when there's something new.
- Legal limit (Belgium and EU)
- none detected sum of 20 PFAS below the detection limit, limit 100 ng/L
- Reporting year
- 2024 annual median in the supply area
- Water supplier
- Pidpa
In Essen, none of the 4 most closely watched PFAS (PFAS-4) was found in a measurable amount at the annual figure (median in the network) on 31 December 2024. That's below the detection limit, so there's no verdict against our 0.5 ng/L benchmark. Sum of 20 PFAS: not detected, below the EU legal limit (100 ng/L). Source: Vlaamse Milieumaatschappij (VMM) – Kwaliteit van het drinkwater 2024, bijlage 2.
Details and sources
What the latest check found
The authorities have not published an overall verdict for this water.
See all 26 test results
| What was tested | Value | Limit | Status |
|---|---|---|---|
| PFAS-4 (PFOA + PFOS + PFNA + PFHxS) · maximum 2024 · Pidpa3 | not quantified | ≤ 0.004 µg/L | within the limit |
| Sum of 20 PFAS · maximum 2024 · Pidpa3 | not quantified | ≤ 0.1 µg/l | within the limit |
| PFAS total · median 2024 · Pidpa3 | not quantified | ≤ 0.5 µg/l | within the limit |
| PFAS total · maximum 2024 · Pidpa3 | not quantified | ≤ 0.5 µg/l | within the limit |
| Trifluoroacetic acid (TFA) · median 2024 · Pidpa3 | not quantified | ≤ 15.6 µg/l | within the limit |
| Trifluoroacetic acid (TFA) · maximum 2024 · Pidpa3 | 0.46 µg/l | ≤ 15.6 µg/l | within the limit |
| Nitrate · median 2024 · Pidpa3 | 1.8053 mg/l | ≤ 50 mg/l | within the limit |
| Nitrite · median 2024 · Pidpa3 | 0.0003 mg/l | ≤ 0.5 mg/l | within the limit |
| Lead · median 2024 · Pidpa3 | 0 µg/l | ≤ 10 µg/l | within the limit |
| Copper · median 2024 · Pidpa3 | 0 mg/l | ≤ 2 mg/l | within the limit |
| Nickel · median 2024 · Pidpa3 | 0 µg/l | ≤ 20 µg/l | within the limit |
| Arsenic · median 2024 · Pidpa3 | 0.3747 µg/l | ≤ 10 µg/l | within the limit |
| Cadmium · median 2024 · Pidpa3 | 0.001 µg/l | ≤ 5 µg/l | within the limit |
| Chromium · median 2024 · Pidpa3 | 0 µg/l | ≤ 50 µg/l | within the limit |
| Uranium · median 2024 · Pidpa3 | 0.0008 µg/l | ≤ 30 µg/l | within the limit |
| Fluoride · median 2024 · Pidpa3 | 0.1755 mg/l | ≤ 1.5 mg/l | within the limit |
| Escherichia coli · median 2024 · Pidpa3 | 0 /100 ml | ≤ 0 /100 ml | within the limit |
| Enterococci · median 2024 · Pidpa3 | 0 /100 ml | ≤ 0 /100 ml | within the limit |
| Coliform bacteria · median 2024 · Pidpa3 | 0 /100 ml | ≤ 0 /100 ml | within the limit |
| pH · median 2024 · Pidpa3 | 7.95 | 6.5–9.2 | within the limit |
| Water hardness · median 2024 · Pidpa3 | 16.6122 Fr° | ≤ 67.5 Fr° | within the limit |
| Electrical conductivity · median 2024 · Pidpa3 | 350.4505 µS/cm | ≤ 2,100 µS/cm | within the limit |
| Chloride · median 2024 · Pidpa3 | 13.7453 mg/l | ≤ 250 mg/l | within the limit |
| Sulphate · median 2024 · Pidpa3 | 13.3434 mg/l | ≤ 250 mg/l | within the limit |
| Sodium · median 2024 · Pidpa3 | 11.1705 mg/l | ≤ 200 mg/l | within the limit |
| Iron · median 2024 · Pidpa3 | 7.5515 µg/l | ≤ 200 µg/l | within the limit |
Frequently asked questions
Is tap water in Essen safe to drink?
All the values shown here (31 December 2024) are within the legal limits, but the authorities have not published an overall verdict for this water.
How high are PFAS levels in Essen's drinking water?
At the latest check the total of 20 PFAS ("forever chemicals") was reported as not detected; the laboratory did not state its reporting limit. The EU limit is 100 ng/L. (below the EU limit)
Does the water in Essen also meet the strictest limits in Europe?
The check cannot say. None of the four compounds was quantified, and the source does not publish detection limits fine enough to compare their total with Sweden's legal limit of 4 ng/L in force since 2026.
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 Essen?
The water hardness in Essen is 16.6 Fr° (medium). This mainly matters for household appliances and detergent dosing, not for health.
Where does this data come from?
All values come from official publications: Vlaamse Milieumaatschappij (VMM) – Kwaliteit van het drinkwater 2024, bijlage 2. Retrieved on 28 September 2026.
Same water network
Same distribution network as Essen, so in principle the same water.
Nearby cities
The closest to Essen on this site.
Data source
- Vlaamse Milieumaatschappij (VMM) – Kwaliteit van het drinkwater 2024, bijlage 2
- https://vmm.vlaanderen.be/feiten-cijfers/water/drinkwater/kwaliteit-drinkwater-per-leveringsgebied
- License
- Modellicentie voor gratis hergebruik (Vlaamse overheid) – https://vmm.vlaanderen.be/disclaimer
- Retrieved
- 28 September 2026
- Supply networks
- Pidpa3 (Pidpa)
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.
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). Leveringsgebied Pidpa3.
This site is a data project, not an official source. If in doubt, check with your water supplier or local authority.