PFAS, also known as eternal pollutants, are very persistent chemical substances that are present everywhere, including in water in France. Find out more about the state of play, the health risks and the unique national mapping tool for a better understanding of this pollution.

What are PFAS?

Perfluoroalkylated and polyfluoroalkylated substances( PFAS) ¹ form a vast family of synthetic chemical compounds invented in the 1930s and used extensively since the 1950s.

Their structure, based on an extremely strong carbon-fluorine bond, gives them exceptional resistance to water, heat and chemicals. PFASs can be found in a multitude of everyday products: waterproof textiles, non-stick utensils, food packaging, fire-fighting foam, cosmetics, paints, etc.

A national mapping tool

Since July 2025, an unprecedented tool has been in place in the form of an interactive map. This map details more than 2.3 million water analyses carried out on drinking water, surface water (rivers, lakes) and groundwater, as well as discharges from industrial sites.

The map is regularly updated with information from various public databases: the monitoring network for water intended for human consumption, groundwater quality, watercourses and industrial self-monitoring. The map is accessible to all, and you can click on any sampling point to find out the level of PFAS detected locally.

Some areas remain poorly documented, but the situation is changing rapidly: since 2023, a decree has required several thousand industrial sites (textiles, chemicals, waste, paper mills, etc.) to monitor their discharges of this family of pollutants.

In 2024, the average PFAS level in tap water in France was 0.014 µg/L (one millionth of a gram per litre), well below the regulatory limit of 0.1 µg/L. But this figure masks disparities: some networks exceed the standard from time to time, demonstrating the importance of maintaining vigilance and developing monitoring throughout the country.

From January 2026, all drinking water networks will have to be tested for 20 PFASs specifically listed in European regulations.

Map of PFAS in France

Based on an IGN Géoportail map, the Info-PFAS interactive map, developed by the Bureau de recherches géologiques et minières (BRGM ²) in conjunction with government departments, gives everyone easy access to the results of PFAS analyses in water throughout France.

Practical guide

Here’s a step-by-step guide to making the most of this map of France’s PFAS.

Theinterface

• General view
  The map shows France with many coloured dots. Each dot corresponds to a water abstraction site (river, drinking water, groundwater or industrial discharge).
  
• Side menu
  Navigation tools on the left (zoom in/out, location, search by municipality or address)
  On the right, layers with modifiable intensity according to water type (groundwater, surface water, industrial, drinking water, etc.)

Exploring the data

• Zooming and moving: Use the mouse or the + and – buttons to zoom in and out, and drag the map to move over the desired area.
  
• Search: If available, enter the name of your municipality or a place in the search bar to navigate quickly to a specific area.

Interpreting points on the map

• Colours
  The colour of the dots reflects the type of measurement (surface water, groundwater, drinking water, industrial waste, etc.).

• Click on a point
  A simple click brings up an information window summarising :
  • The type of withdrawal (drinking water, river, industrial discharge, wastewater treatment plant, etc.)
  • The number, date of sampling and establishment concerned
  • Concentration(s) measured (expressed in µg/L)
  • The main PFAS substances sought
  • Whether or not it complies with current standards, with the option of downloading the results.

Further information

• Exporting data
  Want to retrieve your measurements for analysis or presentation? Look for the Download csv option to obtain the results in spreadsheet format, if available.
  
• Limits of use
  The map does not assess health risk on the basis of measured concentrations alone.
  
• Monthly updates
  The data is updated regularly, but the sampling dates vary widely across the country. The tool is evolving in line with regulations, which are moving towards compulsory exhaustive PFAS testing of all drinking water from January 2026.

This simple yet powerful tool allows you to :

• Check locally for the presence of PFAS that have been measured and can be consulted by the public;
• Monitoring developments: over 2.3 million analyses have already been integrated, and the map is growing every month;
• Get more objective information on the situation thanks to the transparency of public data.

Whether you’re a curious citizen, a local councillor, a health professional or a journalist, this map is an essential entry point for understanding the issue of eternal pollutants in France.

View the map of France

Here is the interactive map of PFASs in all regions of France, both mainland and overseas:

You can also consult it directly on the official website on a new page:

Travel link

1. PFAS, Wikipedia ↩︎
2. PFAS and BRGM ↩︎

• What are PFAS? FOEN Switzerland
• Impact of PFAS on health and the environment, Eurofins
• List of PFAS, Official Journal
• PFAS and water intended for human consumption, Santé. gouv
• Potential health effects of PFAS, INSPQ