The news about the contamination of tap water, of which this site is a strong supporter, is not good, as an alternative to the wasteful purchase of bottles of mineral water, especially plastic ones.
The environmental organization Greenpeace has conducted the first comprehensive survey, across Italy, of PFAS (poly and perfluoroalkyl compounds) contamination in drinking water. The survey also monitored, for the first time, contamination levels from ultrashort-chain compounds such as TFA, some PFAS that are of concern to the scientific community and for which public data is not available in our country. Unfortunately, the results are not encouraging: of 260 samples analyzed in 235 municipalities from north to south, 79% tested positive for these substances, which are hazardous to human health and the environment. Among the most widespread substances are the carcinogen PFOA, the ultrashort-chain compound TFA, and the possible carcinogen PFOS. Released into the environment, PFAS accumulate in water, soil, and living organisms, with potentially devastating consequences.
In this table, you will find the contamination levels recorded at the regional level.
The most critical situations are recorded in Liguria, Trentino-Alto Adige, Valle d'Aosta, Veneto, Emilia-Romagna, Calabria, Piedmont, Sardinia, Marche, and Tuscany. The regions where the samples were found to be least contaminated were, in order, Abruzzo, Sicily, and Puglia.
As for cities, the situation is illustrated by this table:
In Milan, Turin, Novara, Vicenza, Ferrara, Genoa, Arezzo, and many other municipalities, PFAS levels exceed the safety limits adopted by several European nations and the United States. The cities with the highest PFAS concentrations were Arezzo, Milan, and Perugia, but Reggio Emilia, Ferrara, Vicenza, and Padua are also on the blacklist.
At this link Find the complete results and map, by region and by city.
What can citizens and consumers do to be directly informed by municipalities and water companies about PFAS contamination? First, you can check whether periodic drinking water analyses are published on the websites of your municipal water supplier or your local health authority, and whether PFAS are among the monitored parameters. A European directive will require public bodies to monitor the presence of PFAS in drinking water starting in January 2026. Furthermore, by law, citizens have the right to request data and documents, thus actively overseeing the activities of public administrations. Many public bodies offer online forms to complete and submit to obtain the requested information. If the Transparency Officer also refuses access, it is possible to appeal to the Regional Administrative Court (TAR) pursuant to Article 116 of the Code of Civil Procedure; however, this appeal is not free, as is the fee for the final appeal before the Council of State.
Read also:
- Pesticides in mineral water: present in 14 brands
- Why water is so important in our lives
- How to teach children not to waste water. Five very simple rules.
- Water waste in water networks up to 64 percent
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