PFAS in Vichy's tap water: 5 ng/L, 10x our 0.5 ng/L benchmark
Last PFAS check: · Source: Hub'eau
PFAS in drinking water
10× 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 92% of the cities we track
checked on 30 July 2026
20 PFAS (see each substance)
| PFAS substance | Value |
|---|---|
| Acide perfluoropentanoïque (PFPEA) | 0.004 µg/L |
| Perfluorohexane sulfonate (PFHXS) | 0.003 µg/L |
| Acide perfluorobutanoïque (PFBA) | 0.003 µg/L |
| Acide perfluorohexanoïque (PFHXA) | 0.003 µg/L |
| Acide sulfonique de perfluorooctane (PFOS) | 0.002 µg/L |
| Acide perfluorononane sulfonique (PFNS) | <0,002 µg/L |
| Acide perfluoropentane sulfonique (PFPS) | <0,001 µg/L |
| Acide perfluoroheptane sulfonique (PFHpS) | <0,002 µg/L |
| Acide perfluorododécanoique (PFDoDA) | <0,001 µg/L |
| Acide perfluoro-nonanoïque (PFNA) | <0,001 µg/L |
| Acide perfluoro tridecane sulfonique (PFTrDS) | <0,005 µg/L |
| Acide sulfonique de perfluorobutane (PFBS) | <0,001 µg/L |
| Acide perfluoroheptanoïque (PFHPA) | <0,001 µg/L |
| Acide perfluoro tridecanoique (PFTrDA) | <0,001 µg/L |
| Acide perfluoro undecanoïque (PFUnA) | <0,001 µg/L |
| Acide perfluorodecane sulfonique (PFDS) | <0,001 µg/L |
| Acide perfluoro-decanoïque (PFDA) | <0,001 µg/L |
| Acide perfluoro undecane sulfonique (PFUnDS) | <0,002 µg/L |
| Acide perfluorododécane sulfonique (PFDoDS) | <0,001 µg/L |
| Acide perfluoro-octanoïque (PFOA) | <0,001 µg/L |
Fails a current legal limit. Here are some filter options.
- EU legal limit
- 15 ng/L sum of 20 PFAS, below the 100 ng/L limit
- Last PFAS test
- 30 July 2026
- Water supplier
- VICHY-COMMUNAUTE-EDCH-SECTEUR 3
In Vichy, the 4 most closely watched PFAS (PFAS-4) add up to 5 ng/L (0.005 µg/L) at the latest PFAS check on 30 July 2026. That's 10 times our 0.5 ng/L health benchmark, and above Sweden's legal limit of 4 ng/L. Sum of 20 PFAS: 15 ng/L (0.015 µg/L), below the EU legal limit (100 ng/L). 6 checks since 29 July 2025: PFAS-4 from 1 ng/L to 6 ng/L, averaging 2.2 ng/L over 12 months. No clear trend. Source: Hub'eau, Qualité de l'eau potable (Ministère de la Santé / OFB / BRGM).
Details and sources
PFAS over time in Vichy
16 PFAS checks since 28 February 2024, from the published measurements.
“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 |
|---|---|---|
| 5 ng/L | 15 ng/L | |
| 2 ng/L | 3 ng/L | |
| 1 ng/L | 1 ng/L | |
| 1 ng/L | 6 ng/L | |
| 2 ng/L | 6 ng/L | |
| 6 ng/L | 6 ng/L | |
| 11 ng/L – < 13 ng/L · calculated | 11 ng/L | |
| 11 ng/L – < 12 ng/L · calculated | 17 ng/L | |
| 24 ng/L – < 25 ng/L · calculated | 42 ng/L | |
| 62.8 ng/L – < 67.8 ng/L · calculated | 90.4 ng/L | |
| 53.6 ng/L – < 54.6 ng/L · calculated | 78.1 ng/L | |
| 99.1 ng/L – < 100.1 ng/L · calculated | 206.3 ng/L |
Show the 4 earlier checks (back to 28 February 2024)
| 102.3 ng/L – < 103.3 ng/L · calculated | 183.2 ng/L | |
| 38 ng/L – < 39 ng/L · calculated | 64.1 ng/L | |
| 34.7 ng/L – < 35.7 ng/L · calculated | 54.8 ng/L | |
| 55.4 ng/L – < 56.4 ng/L · calculated | 104.8 ng/L |
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 over at least one limit.
See all 21 test results
| What was tested | Value | Limit | Status |
|---|---|---|---|
| Nitrate | 3.3 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 | 0.037 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 | 0.11 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 | 8.22 unité pH | 6.5–9.5 pH | within the limit |
| Water hardness | 8.32 °f | no limit | for reference |
| Electrical conductivity | 320 µS/cm | 200–1,100 µS/cm | within the limit |
| Chloride | 37.9 mg/L | ≤ 250 mg/L | within the limit |
| Sulphate | 12.6 mg/L | ≤ 250 mg/L | within the limit |
| Sodium | 21 mg/L | ≤ 200 mg/L | within the limit |
| Iron | <10 µg/L | ≤ 200 µg/L | within the limit |
| Turbidity | <0,1 NFU | ≤ 2 NFU | within the limit |
Frequently asked questions
Is tap water in Vichy safe to drink?
At the latest check, the water was over at least one limit. “Eau conforme aux exigences de qualité en ce qui concerne les paramètres bactériologiques mais non conforme pour les paramètres physico-chimiques.”
How high are PFAS levels in Vichy's drinking water?
The total of 20 PFAS ("forever chemicals") was last measured at 15 ng/L. The EU limit is 100 ng/L, so this water is at 15 % of the limit. (below the EU limit)
Does the water in Vichy also meet the strictest limits in Europe?
No. The four most harmful PFAS add up to 5 ng/L. That is 1.25 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 Vichy's tap water?
No clear trend. Since 28 February 2024, 6 checks have been published; on the main network the PFAS-4 sum ranged between 1 ng/L and 6 ng/L (6 quantified values), at times below the detection limit. pfasnearme only reports a trend from a change of at least 25 % and 1 ng/L. These history statistics use laboratory-published sums only.
How hard is the water in Vichy?
The water hardness in Vichy is 8.3 °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 Vichy, so in principle the same water.
Nearby communes
The closest to Vichy 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=03310
- License
- Licence Ouverte / Open Licence (Etalab)
- Retrieved
- 21 September 2026
- Supply networks
- RESEAU VICHY
Water report for Vichy
Get new PFAS results for Vichy, 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.