CIWEM: cost of combating PFAS is not just for water companies

In its latest Policy Position Statement, the Chartered Institution of Water and Environmental Management (CIWEM) has issued an “urgent call” to address the persistent pollution of the UK’s water systems by indestructible per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS). The institution asserts that water companies should not bear the full cost of removing the widespread pollutants, which stem largely from consumer use of products with non-stick coatings or water-repellent fabrics and packaging.

Historical contamination from PFAS continues to damage environments long after their initial release. This persistence, combined with their mobility in water and soil, leads to ongoing pollution even when immediate sources are controlled.

CIWEM’s director of policy, Alastair Chisholm, said: “Removing PFAS from water and wastewater is incredibly costly, a burden that shouldn’t fall on water companies alone. PFAS producers and handlers must step up to prevent further pollution, and if they’re responsible for releasing PFAS into the environment, they should bear the costs of cleanup to protect and decontaminate our soil and water.” 

Chisholm said that less than 20% of the population’s exposure to PFAS was via drinking water, adding: “These chemicals impact every step of the water and wastewater cycle, posing serious challenges across the board.”

CIWEM’s position statement highlights further challenges in assessing and managing contamination by PFAS, arising from their thousands of differing chemical structures. This diversity makes comprehensive testing costly and complex, and existing effective testing methods are expensive. Meanwhile, methods to destroy PFAS entirely are still under research. 

The statement advocates for an eight-point plan:

• Polluter-pays – make PFAS producers financially responsible for pollution cleanup and prevention, relieving water companies of high remediation costs.

• Standardised detection – establish uniform methods to detect and measure PFAS, ensuring consistency as technology advances.

• Targeted PFAS bans – ban non-essential PFAS while allowing exemptions for critical uses, reducing exposure and environmental impact.

• Fund research – invest in studies on PFAS health effects, alternative treatments, and safer substitutes to better manage and mitigate risks.

• Comprehensive monitoring – implement a holistic approach to manage raw water pollution and emerging contaminants, including PFAS and microplastics, throughout the water cycle.

• PFAS risk map access – share the Environment Agency’s PFAS contamination risk map with water companies to support informed decision-making.

• Biosolids regulation – mandate PFAS monitoring in biosolids and set limits on harmful compounds before land application, updating regulations as science progresses.

• Product labelling –  Label PFAS-containing consumer products, empowering consumers to make informed choices and reduce unnecessary exposure.