PFAS in the tap water of Besse (Cantal): under 13 ng/L, none of the four main PFAS detected
Last PFAS check: · Source: Hub'eau
PFAS in drinking water
No PFAS detected
The lab sees nothing below 13 ng/L, 26 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.
More about this result
The US also limits PFOA and PFOS to 4 ng/L each, per substance.
The lab detects each of the four substances from 1.5 to 5 ng/L upward. None reached that limit, so their total is below 13 ng/L rather than zero.
checked on 18 June 2026
20 PFAS (see each substance)
| PFAS substance | Value |
|---|---|
| Acide perfluoro tridecane sulfonique (PFTrDS) | <0,0015 µg/L |
| Acide perfluorononane sulfonique (PFNS) | <0,0015 µg/L |
| Acide sulfonique de perfluorooctane (PFOS) | <0,0015 µg/L |
| Acide perfluorobutanoïque (PFBA) | <0,005 µg/L |
| Acide sulfonique de perfluorobutane (PFBS) | <0,0015 µg/L |
| Acide perfluorododécane sulfonique (PFDoDS) | <0,0015 µg/L |
| Acide perfluoro-octanoïque (PFOA) | <0,005 µg/L |
| Acide perfluoroheptanoïque (PFHPA) | <0,040 µg/L |
| Acide perfluorohexanoïque (PFHXA) | <0,0015 µg/L |
| Acide perfluorododécanoique (PFDoDA) | <0,0015 µg/L |
| Perfluorohexane sulfonate (PFHXS) | <0,0015 µg/L |
| Acide perfluoro undecane sulfonique (PFUnDS) | <0,0015 µg/L |
| Acide perfluoropentane sulfonique (PFPS) | <0,0015 µg/L |
| Acide perfluoropentanoïque (PFPEA) | <0,005 µg/L |
| Acide perfluorodecane sulfonique (PFDS) | <0,0015 µg/L |
| Acide perfluoro undecanoïque (PFUnA) | <0,005 µg/L |
| Acide perfluoro-decanoïque (PFDA) | <0,005 µg/L |
| Acide perfluoro tridecanoique (PFTrDA) | <0,005 µg/L |
| Acide perfluoro-nonanoïque (PFNA) | <0,005 µg/L |
| Acide perfluoroheptane sulfonique (PFHpS) | <0,0015 µg/L |
None found. The lab sees nothing below 13 ng/L, so our 0.5 ng/L benchmark cannot be checked.
Water report for Besse
Get new PFAS results for Besse, with a short explanation. At most one update a week, only when there's something new.
- EU legal limit
- none detected sum of 20 PFAS below the detection limit, limit 100 ng/L
- Last PFAS test
- 18 June 2026
- Water supplier
- SYND BERTRANDE
In Besse, none of the 4 most closely watched PFAS (PFAS-4) was detected at the latest PFAS check on 18 June 2026. The total is below 13 ng/L, the sum of the detection limits and 26 times our 0.5 ng/L benchmark. Sum of 20 PFAS: <0,0895 µg/L, below the EU legal limit (100 ng/L). 3 checks since 9 July 2025, PFAS-4 always below the detection limit (13 ng/L). Source: Hub'eau, Qualité de l'eau potable (Ministère de la Santé / OFB / BRGM).
Details and sources
PFAS over time in Besse
3 PFAS checks since 9 July 2025, values as published. Samples from 2 communes on the same network: it's the same water, so each one applies to Besse.
| Date | PFAS-4 | Sum of 20 PFAS | Sampled at |
|---|---|---|---|
| < 13 ng/L | < 89.5 ng/L | Besse | |
| < 13 ng/L | < 89.5 ng/L | Saint-Projet-de-Salers | |
| < 4 ng/L | < 71 ng/L | Saint-Projet-de-Salers |
“<” 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
At the latest check, the water was within every limit tested.
Values to watch
These results are close to their legal limit, or over it.
Outside a reference value: Electrical conductivity 59 µS/cm on 18 June 2026 (reference 200–1,100 µS/cm). These are indicator parameters with reference values, not legal limits.
| What was tested | Value | Limit | Status |
|---|---|---|---|
| Electrical conductivity | 59 µS/cm | 200–1,100 µS/cm | below the reference value |
See all 21 test results
| What was tested | Value | Limit | Status |
|---|---|---|---|
| Nitrate | 2.2 mg/L | ≤ 50 mg/L | within the limit |
| Nitrite | <0,01 mg/L | ≤ 0.5 mg/L | within the limit |
| Lead | 0.54 µg/L | ≤ 10 µg/L | within the limit |
| Copper | 0.209 mg(Cu)/L | ≤ 2 mg(Cu)/L | within the limit |
| Nickel | <0,5 µg/L | ≤ 20 µg/L | within the limit |
| Arsenic | <0,1 µg/L | ≤ 10 µg/L | within the limit |
| Cadmium | <0,01 µg/L | ≤ 5 µg/L | within the limit |
| Chromium | <1 µg/L | ≤ 50 µg/L | within the limit |
| Uranium | 0.01 µg/L | ≤ 30 µg/L | within the limit |
| Fluoride | 0.03 mg/L | ≤ 1.5 mg/L | within the limit |
| Escherichia coli | <1 n/(100mL) | ≤ 0 mL) | within the limit |
| Enterococci | <1 n/(100mL) | ≤ 0 mL) | within the limit |
| Coliform bacteria | <1 n/(100mL) | ≤ 0 mL) | within the limit |
| pH | 7.6 unité pH | 6.5–9 unité pH | within the limit |
| Water hardness | 2.3 °f | no limit | for reference |
| Electrical conductivity | 59 µS/cm | 200–1,100 µS/cm | below the reference value |
| Chloride | 1.4 mg/L | ≤ 250 mg/L | within the limit |
| Sulphate | 1 mg/L | ≤ 250 mg/L | within the limit |
| Sodium | 2.66 mg/L | ≤ 200 mg/L | within the limit |
| Iron | 7.3 µg/L | ≤ 200 µg/L | within the limit |
| Turbidity | 0.31 NFU | ≤ 2 NFU | within the limit |
Frequently asked questions
Is tap water in Besse safe to drink?
Yes. At the check on 18 June 2026, the tap water in Besse was within every limit tested. Outside a reference value: Electrical conductivity 59 µS/cm on 18 June 2026 (reference 200–1,100 µS/cm). These are indicator parameters with reference values, not legal limits. “Résultats d'analyses conformes à la norme. Cette eau présente un caractère agressif : elle peut dissoudre les matériaux à son contact : eau de qualité sanitaire non satisfaisante.”
How high are PFAS levels in Besse's drinking water?
At the latest check the total of 20 PFAS ("forever chemicals") was below the laboratory's reporting limit of 89.5 ng/L. The EU limit is 100 ng/L, so this water is under 89 % of the limit. (below the EU limit)
Does the water in Besse also meet the strictest limits in Europe?
The check cannot say. None of the four compounds was quantified, but the laboratory's detection limits add up to 13 ng/L, above Sweden's legal limit of 4 ng/L in force since 2026, so a value between the two would go unnoticed.
Are PFAS levels rising in Besse's tap water?
No. Since 9 July 2025, 3 checks have been published and the PFAS-4 sum stayed below the laboratory's detection limit (13 ng/L) every time.
How hard is the water in Besse?
The water hardness in Besse is 2.3 °f (soft). This mainly matters for household appliances and detergent dosing, not for health.
Where does this data come from?
All values come from official publications: Hub'eau, Qualité de l'eau potable (Ministère de la Santé / OFB / BRGM). Retrieved on 21 September 2026.
Same water network
Same distribution network as Besse, so in principle the same water.
Nearby communes
The closest to Besse on this site.
Data source
- Hub'eau, Qualité de l'eau potable (Ministère de la Santé / OFB / BRGM)
- https://hubeau.eaufrance.fr/api/v1/qualite_eau_potable/resultats_dis?code_commune=15269
- License
- Licence Ouverte / Open Licence (Etalab)
- Retrieved
- 21 September 2026
- Supply networks
- DE ST PROJET BESSE ST MARTIN CANTALES
This site is a data project, not an official source. If in doubt, check with your water supplier or local authority.