PFAS in Brest's tap water: 8.3 ng/L, 16.6x our 0.5 ng/L benchmark
Last PFAS check: · Source: Hub'eau
PFAS in drinking water
16.6× 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 95% of the cities we track
checked on 1 July 2026
20 PFAS (see each substance)
| PFAS substance | Value |
|---|---|
| Acide perfluoropentanoïque (PFPEA) | 0.0201 µg/L |
| Acide perfluorohexanoïque (PFHXA) | 0.0121 µg/L |
| Acide perfluorobutanoïque (PFBA) | 0.0068 µg/L |
| Acide sulfonique de perfluorooctane (PFOS) | 0.0061 µg/L |
| Acide perfluoroheptanoïque (PFHPA) | 0.005 µg/L |
| Acide perfluoro-octanoïque (PFOA) | 0.0022 µg/L |
| Acide perfluoro tridecanoique (PFTrDA) | <0,002 µg/L |
| Acide perfluoro-nonanoïque (PFNA) | <0,001 µg/L |
| Acide perfluoropentane sulfonique (PFPS) | <0,001 µg/L |
| Acide perfluorododécanoique (PFDoDA) | <0,002 µg/L |
| Acide perfluorononane sulfonique (PFNS) | <0,001 µg/L |
| Perfluorohexane sulfonate (PFHXS) | <0,002 µg/L |
| Acide perfluoroheptane sulfonique (PFHpS) | <0,002 µg/L |
| Acide perfluoro-decanoïque (PFDA) | <0,002 µg/L |
| Acide sulfonique de perfluorobutane (PFBS) | <0,005 µg/L |
| Acide perfluorodecane sulfonique (PFDS) | <0,001 µg/L |
| Acide perfluoro tridecane sulfonique (PFTrDS) | <0,001 µg/L |
| Acide perfluoro undecanoïque (PFUnA) | <0,002 µg/L |
| Acide perfluoro undecane sulfonique (PFUnDS) | <0,001 µg/L |
| Acide perfluorododécane sulfonique (PFDoDS) | <0,001 µg/L |
Above our health benchmark. Here are some filter options.
- EU legal limit
- 52.3 ng/L sum of 20 PFAS, below the 100 ng/L limit
- Last PFAS test
- 1 July 2026
- Water supplier
- SPL EAU DU PONANT
In Brest, the 4 most closely watched PFAS (PFAS-4) add up to 8.3 ng/L (0.0083 µg/L) at the latest PFAS check on 1 July 2026. That's 16.6 times our 0.5 ng/L health benchmark, and above Sweden's legal limit of 4 ng/L. Sum of 20 PFAS: 52.3 ng/L (0.0523 µg/L), below the EU legal limit (100 ng/L). 14 checks since 28 April 2025: PFAS-4 up to 9.3 ng/L, sometimes below the detection limit, averaging at least 4.98 ng/L over 12 months (non-detects as 0). Rising on the main network. Source: Hub'eau, Qualité de l'eau potable (Ministère de la Santé / OFB / BRGM).
Details and sources
PFAS over time in Brest
17 PFAS checks since 3 February 2025, from the published measurements. Samples from 3 communes on the same network: it's the same water, so each one applies to Brest. Samples come from 5 distribution networks. The trend refers to the network “PETIT PARIS”.
“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 | Sampled at | Network |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 8.3 ng/L | 52.3 ng/L | Brest | PETIT PARIS, PETIT PARIS | |
| 6.1 ng/L | 10.8 ng/L | Bohars | PEN AR CH'LEUZ, PEN AR CH'LEUZ | |
| 7.8 ng/L | 37.5 ng/L | Brest | PETIT PARIS, PETIT PARIS | |
| 2.1 ng/L | 6.5 ng/L | Brest | PETIT PARIS, PETIT PARIS | |
| 2 ng/L | 6.1 ng/L | Brest | PEN AR CH'LEUZ, PEN AR CH'LEUZ | |
| < detection limit | < detection limit | Le Relecq-Kerhuon | PETIT PARIS, PETIT PARIS | |
| 3 ng/L | 9.8 ng/L | Brest | PEN AR CH'LEUZ, PEN AR CH'LEUZ | |
| 8.4 ng/L | 42.3 ng/L | Brest | 029000582, 029000582 +4 | |
| 2.4 ng/L | 8.4 ng/L | Brest | PETIT PARIS, PETIT PARIS | |
| 9.3 ng/L | 48.4 ng/L | Brest | PETIT PARIS, PETIT PARIS | |
| 8.8 ng/L | 13.6 ng/L | Brest | 029000582, 029000582 +4 | |
| 7.1 ng/L | 42.2 ng/L | Brest | PEN AR CH'LEUZ, PEN AR CH'LEUZ |
Show the 5 earlier checks (back to 3 February 2025)
| 2.2 ng/L | 24.7 ng/L | Brest | PETIT PARIS, PETIT PARIS | |
| 6.8 ng/L | 20.2 ng/L | Brest | PEN AR CH'LEUZ, PEN AR CH'LEUZ | |
| < 6 ng/L · calculated | 4.1 ng/L | Brest | PETIT PARIS, PETIT PARIS | |
| 4.7 ng/L – < 7.7 ng/L · calculated | 31.8 ng/L | Brest | 029000582, 029000582 +4 | |
| 1.4 ng/L – < 6.4 ng/L · calculated | 7.9 ng/L | Brest | PEN AR CH'LEUZ, PEN AR CH'LEUZ |
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 | 21 mg/L | ≤ 50 mg/L | within the limit |
| Nitrite | <0,01 mg/L | ≤ 0.5 mg/L | within the limit |
| Lead | 0.55 µg/L | ≤ 10 µg/L | within the limit |
| Copper | 0.079 mg(Cu)/L | ≤ 2 mg(Cu)/L | within the limit |
| Nickel | 2 µg/L | ≤ 20 µg/L | within the limit |
| Arsenic | <1 µg/L | ≤ 10 µg/L | within the limit |
| Cadmium | <0,1 µg/L | ≤ 5 µg/L | within the limit |
| Chromium | <1 µg/L | ≤ 50 µg/L | within the limit |
| Uranium | <0,1 µg/L | ≤ 30 µg/L | within the limit |
| Fluoride | <0,050 mg/L | ≤ 1.5 mg/L | within the limit |
| Escherichia coli | 0 n/(100mL) | ≤ 0 mL) | within the limit |
| Enterococci | 0 n/(100mL) | ≤ 0 mL) | within the limit |
| Coliform bacteria | 0 n/(100mL) | ≤ 0 mL) | within the limit |
| pH | 7.5 unité pH | 6.5–9 unité pH | within the limit |
| Water hardness | 13 °f | no limit | for reference |
| Electrical conductivity | 574 µS/cm | 200–1,100 µS/cm | within the limit |
| Chloride | 108.3 mg/L | ≤ 250 mg/L | within the limit |
| Sulphate | 30 mg/L | ≤ 250 mg/L | within the limit |
| Sodium | 35.1 mg/L | ≤ 200 mg/L | within the limit |
| Iron | 24 µg/L | ≤ 200 µg/L | within the limit |
| Turbidity | 0.16 NFU | ≤ 2 NFU | within the limit |
Frequently asked questions
Is tap water in Brest safe to drink?
Yes. At the check on 20 July 2026, the tap water in Brest 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 Brest's drinking water?
The total of 20 PFAS ("forever chemicals") was last measured at 52.3 ng/L. The EU limit is 100 ng/L, so this water is at 52 % of the limit. (below the EU limit)
Does the water in Brest also meet the strictest limits in Europe?
No. The four most harmful PFAS add up to 8.3 ng/L. That is 2.1 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 Brest's tap water?
Yes. On the main network, the PFAS-4 sum rose from 2.2 ng/L (6 May 2025) to 8.3 ng/L (1 July 2026) across 6 quantified checks. pfasnearme's benchmark is 0.5 ng/L as an annual mean. These history statistics use laboratory-published sums only.
How hard is the water in Brest?
The water hardness in Brest is 13 °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 Brest, so in principle the same water.
Nearby communes
The closest to Brest 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=29019
- License
- Licence Ouverte / Open Licence (Etalab)
- Retrieved
- 21 September 2026
- Supply networks
- PEN AR CH'LEUZ, PETIT PARIS
Water report for Brest
Get new PFAS results for Brest, 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.