International
The Stockholm Convention was adopted in 2004 with the aim of regulating the production, placing on the market and use of persistent organic pollutants (POPs). Initially, twelve substances, known as the “dirty dozen”, were identified for future regulation.
The list of regulated substances now also includes the PFAS compounds PFOS, PFOA and PFHxS, which are classified as particularly hazardous.
The Convention has been ratified by a total of 186 countries.
EU
The EU implements the international requirements of the Stockholm Convention through the EU POPs Regulation.
The new EU Drinking Water Directive ((EU) 2020/2184) introduced EU-wide PFAS limits for drinking water for the first time. Since January 2026, the following limits apply:
- 0,1 µg/l for die „Sum of PFAS“
- 0,5 µg/l for „PFAS Total“
Member states are required to:
- systematically monitor PFAS,
- report exceedances, and
- take measures to protect public health.
Germany
The new EU Drinking Water Directive has been transposed into German law through the new German Drinking Water Ordinance (Trinkwasserverordnung, TrinkwV).
Section 7 of the new German Drinking Water Ordinance (TrinkwV) stipulates that drinking water must not contain chemical substances at concentrations that are harmful to human health. In addition, the limit values specified in the ordinance must be complied with.
Key changes introduced in 2023 include:
- introduction of binding limit values for PFAS
- stricter precautionary principles
- an extended minimization requirement (“as low as technically possible”)
In practical terms, this means that even when a regulatory limit is complied with, water suppliers should continue to reduce contamination wherever this is technically and economically feasible.
Limit Values
PFAS Compounds
When determining PFAS concentrations under the German Drinking Water Ordinance, two groups of specific PFAS compounds are distinguished. The combined concentrations of these substances must not exceed the respective maximum permissible group limits.
PFAS-20 is the sum of 20 specified PFAS compounds.
PFAS-4 comprises four particularly hazardous PFAS compounds.
| Parameter | Limit(ng/l) |
|---|---|
| PFAS-20 (Sum) | 100 |
| PFAS-4 (Sum) | 0 / from 2028: 20 |
| BPA | 25 |
Bisphenol A (BPA)
Bisphenol A (BPA) is also subject to increasingly stringent regulation in the European Union due to its potential health risks.
For drinking water, the EU Drinking Water Directive and the German Drinking Water Ordinance specify a limit value of 2.5 µg/L.
Water suppliers are required to monitor compliance with this limit and to take appropriate measures if the limit is exceeded