PFAS in Bourges's tap water: 14 ng/L, 28x our 0.5 ng/L benchmark
Last PFAS check: · Source: Hub'eau
PFAS in drinking water
28× above our health benchmark
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.
Substances below the detection limit count as 0, so the real total may be higher.
One of these four, PFOA, is classified as causing cancer in humans by the WHO's cancer research agency (IARC).
More PFAS than in 97% of the cities we track
checked on 3 July 2026
20 PFAS (see each substance)
| PFAS substance | Value |
|---|---|
| Acide sulfonique de perfluorooctane (PFOS) | 0.007 µg/L |
| Acide perfluoropentanoïque (PFPEA) | 0.006 µg/L |
| Acide perfluorohexanoïque (PFHXA) | 0.005 µg/L |
| Perfluorohexane sulfonate (PFHXS) | 0.005 µg/L |
| Acide perfluorobutanoïque (PFBA) | 0.004 µg/L |
| Acide perfluoroheptanoïque (PFHPA) | 0.002 µg/L |
| Acide perfluoro-octanoïque (PFOA) | 0.002 µg/L |
| Acide sulfonique de perfluorobutane (PFBS) | 0.002 µg/L |
| Acide perfluoro-decanoïque (PFDA) | <0,001 µg/L |
| Acide perfluoroheptane sulfonique (PFHpS) | <0,002 µg/L |
| Acide perfluoropentane sulfonique (PFPS) | <0,001 µg/L |
| Acide perfluoro tridecanoique (PFTrDA) | <0,001 µg/L |
| Acide perfluorododécane sulfonique (PFDoDS) | <0,001 µg/L |
| Acide perfluoro undecanoïque (PFUnA) | <0,001 µg/L |
| Acide perfluoro-nonanoïque (PFNA) | <0,001 µg/L |
| Acide perfluorodecane sulfonique (PFDS) | <0,001 µg/L |
| Acide perfluoro undecane sulfonique (PFUnDS) | <0,002 µg/L |
| Acide perfluoro tridecane sulfonique (PFTrDS) | <0,005 µg/L |
| Acide perfluorododécanoique (PFDoDA) | <0,001 µg/L |
| Acide perfluorononane sulfonique (PFNS) | <0,002 µg/L |
Above our health benchmark. Here are some filter options.
- EU legal limit
- 33 ng/L sum of 20 PFAS, below the 100 ng/L limit
- Last PFAS test
- 3 July 2026
- Water supplier
- COMMUNAUTE D'AGGLOMERATION BOURGES
In Bourges, the 4 most closely watched PFAS (PFAS-4) add up to 14 ng/L (0.014 µg/L) at the latest PFAS check on 3 July 2026. That's 28 times our 0.5 ng/L health benchmark, and above Sweden's legal limit of 4 ng/L. Sum of 20 PFAS: 33 ng/L (0.033 µg/L), below the EU legal limit (100 ng/L). 12 checks since 11 September 2024: sum of 20 PFAS from 1 ng/L to 33 ng/L. Source: Hub'eau, Qualité de l'eau potable (Ministère de la Santé / OFB / BRGM).
Details and sources
PFAS over time in Bourges
12 PFAS checks since 11 September 2024, from the published measurements. Samples come from 2 distribution networks. The trend refers to the network “MÉLANGE SAINT URSIN/HERRY”.
“Calculated”: PFAS-4 worked out from the four substances in the same sample. The chart, averages and trends use lab-published sums only.
| Date | PFAS-4 | Sum of 20 PFAS | Network |
|---|---|---|---|
| 14 ng/L – < 15 ng/L · calculated | 33 ng/L | MÉLANGE SAINT URSIN/HERRY | |
| 1 ng/L – < 4 ng/L · calculated | 2 ng/L | MÉLANGE LE PORCHE/HERRY | |
| 10 ng/L – < 11 ng/L · calculated | 21 ng/L | MÉLANGE SAINT URSIN/HERRY | |
| 1 ng/L – < 4 ng/L · calculated | 2 ng/L | MÉLANGE LE PORCHE/HERRY | |
| 1 ng/L – < 4 ng/L · calculated | 1 ng/L | MÉLANGE LE PORCHE/HERRY | |
| 11 ng/L – < 12 ng/L · calculated | 22 ng/L | MÉLANGE SAINT URSIN/HERRY | |
| 1 ng/L – < 4 ng/L · calculated | 1 ng/L | MÉLANGE LE PORCHE/HERRY | |
| 7 ng/L – < 8 ng/L · calculated | 20 ng/L | MÉLANGE SAINT URSIN/HERRY | |
| < 4 ng/L · calculated | 2 ng/L | MÉLANGE LE PORCHE/HERRY | |
| 5 ng/L – < 7 ng/L · calculated | 10 ng/L | MÉLANGE SAINT URSIN/HERRY | |
| 11 ng/L – < 12 ng/L · calculated | 27 ng/L | MÉLANGE SAINT URSIN/HERRY | |
| 1 ng/L – < 4 ng/L · calculated | 2 ng/L | MÉLANGE LE PORCHE/HERRY |
Calculated values: “<” is an upper bound from published thresholds, “≥” a lower bound, “–” means no published sum or complete measurement. How to read a PFAS result
What the latest check found
At the latest check, the water was within every limit tested.
See all 21 test results
| What was tested | Value | Limit | Status |
|---|---|---|---|
| Nitrate | 22.7 mg/L | ≤ 50 mg/L | within the limit |
| Nitrite | <0,01 mg/L | ≤ 0.5 mg/L | within the limit |
| Lead | <2 µg/L | ≤ 10 µg/L | within the limit |
| Copper | 0.033 mg(Cu)/L | ≤ 2 mg(Cu)/L | within the limit |
| Nickel | <5 µg/L | ≤ 20 µg/L | within the limit |
| Arsenic | <2 µg/L | ≤ 10 µg/L | within the limit |
| Cadmium | <1 µg/L | ≤ 5 µg/L | within the limit |
| Chromium | <5 µg/L | ≤ 50 µg/L | within the limit |
| Uranium | <10 µg/L | ≤ 30 µg/L | within the limit |
| Fluoride | 0.22 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 | 7.1 unité pH | 6.5–9 unité pH | within the limit |
| Water hardness | 24 °f | no limit | for reference |
| Electrical conductivity | 478 µS/cm | 200–1,100 µS/cm | within the limit |
| Chloride | 15.6 mg/L | ≤ 250 mg/L | within the limit |
| Sulphate | 21.6 mg/L | ≤ 250 mg/L | within the limit |
| Sodium | 8.6 mg/L | ≤ 200 mg/L | within the limit |
| Iron | <10 µg/L | ≤ 200 µg/L | within the limit |
| Turbidity | 0.17 NFU | ≤ 2 NFU | within the limit |
Frequently asked questions
Is tap water in Bourges safe to drink?
Yes. At the check on 24 July 2026, the tap water in Bourges was within every limit tested. “Eau d'alimentation conforme aux exigences de qualité en vigueur pour l'ensemble des paramètres mesurés.”
How high are PFAS levels in Bourges's drinking water?
The total of 20 PFAS ("forever chemicals") was last measured at 33 ng/L. The EU limit is 100 ng/L, so this water is at 33 % of the limit. (below the EU limit)
Does the water in Bourges also meet the strictest limits in Europe?
No. The four most harmful PFAS add up to 14 ng/L. That is 3.5 times Sweden's legal limit of 4 ng/L, in force since 2026. Germany will set a similar one in 2028. The water still passes the current EU legal limit (100 ng/L for the total of 20 PFAS).
Are PFAS levels rising in Bourges's tap water?
Calculated PFAS-4 values are listed in the table. The chart uses laboratory-published sum-of-20 results; there are too few laboratory-published PFAS-4 sums for the existing trend calculation.
How hard is the water in Bourges?
The water hardness in Bourges is 24 °f (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: 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 Bourges, so in principle the same water.
Nearby communes
The closest to Bourges 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=18033
- License
- Licence Ouverte / Open Licence (Etalab)
- Retrieved
- 21 September 2026
- Supply networks
- MÉLANGE SAINT URSIN/HERRY, MÉLANGE LE PORCHE/HERRY
Water report for Bourges
Get new PFAS results for Bourges, with a short explanation. At most one update a week, only when there's something new.
This site is a data project, not an official source. If in doubt, check with your water supplier or local authority.