Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what data his Department holds on the levels of Perfluoroalkyl and Polyfluoroalkyl Substances (PFAS) in drinking water; whether he plans to collect further data and commission research to determine those levels; and what plans he has to introduce limits to PFAS in drinking water.

The Environment Agency has published data on the prevalence of PFAS in the environment, as part of their environmental surveillance programme which is here: https://environment.data.gov.uk/water-quality/view/landing.

In England, Defra and the Drinking Water Inspectorate are working closely with other regulators to assess levels of PFAS, their sources, the potential risks including to drinking water, and have initiated research into fully quantitative analytical methods which should be ready by spring 2022. The Inspectorate has recently written to water companies, introducing additional requirements for sampling, testing and monitoring for PFAS in raw water sources from which abstractions are used for drinking water. Information gathered will inform water company risk assessments and support future drinking water policy and regulatory approaches.