The silent threat: 'Forever Chemicals' in our drinkingwater

Did you know that 'forever chemicals' (PFAS) are commonly found in your drinking water?

This is a global concern. Mounting evidence, including news from the US suggesting 'no safe limit,' now links these widespread toxins not only to various cancers but also to serious issues like a negative impact on breastfeeding durations. As water constitutes a significant portion of our bodies, it is no surprise that toxins in our drinking water affect our health in ways we might not have anticipated.

Global standards and the purity gap

Drinking water regulations vary widely across the globe, creating a dangerous discrepancy in public health protection.

While the US and EU move toward tighter, low-level limits for specific toxins like PFAS, other common metrics, such as the high Total Dissolved Solids (TDS) limits in Australia and South Africa, highlight how relaxed many essential standards remain.

AquaFromAir: Setting a new global benchmark

AquaFromAir offers a solution that surpasses these often-relaxed standards by producing ultra-pure drinking water directly from the air. 

While standard municipal supplies can contain between 500 and 1000 ppm of TDS, AquaFromAir models typically purify the water they produce from the air down to under 40 ppm. In real-world testing, a unit we installed at a local villa in Bali consistently showed levels of under 10 ppm, even after 6 months! Regardless of where you are in the world, your water deserves the highest standard of purity. What price is too high for the health of you, your family, your staff, or your customers? 

Choose a purification standard that goes far beyond the minimum regulatory requirements. Please do reach out if you have any questions, we are ready to help you in your research. 

Global Water Quality Standards: Data and Sources

United States (US) PFAS Limit

The proposed strict enforceable limits for specific 'forever chemicals' were sourced from regulatory tracking:

Source: PFAS in Drinking Water: Five Key Facts to Stay Compliant and Protect Public Health - SGS

• Key Data: Confirms the US EPA's proposed enforceable limit of 4 parts per trillion (ppt) for PFOA and PFOS.

European Union (EU) PFAS Limit

The enforceable limit for the sum of regulated PFAS compounds, set by the EU's updated directive:

Source: PFAS in Drinking Water: Five Key Facts to Stay Compliant and Protect Public Health - SGS

• Key Data: Notes the EU Drinking Water Directive sets a limit of $0.1\mu g/L$ (100 ppt) for the sum of 20 regulated PFAS compounds, effective from 2026.

Australian Total Dissolved Solids (TDS) Standard

The aesthetic guideline for acceptable taste in Australia, which is non-health-based:

Source: Total dissolved solids - Australian Drinking Water Guidelines - NHMRC

• Key Data: The aesthetic guideline recommends $\le 500$ ppm for good palatability, but states that levels up to $1000$ ppm are generally acceptable to many consumers.

South African Total Dissolved Solids (TDS) Standard

The high aesthetic limit for TDS in South Africa's national drinking water specification:

Source: SANS 241-1:2015 Drinking Water Specification

• Key Data: The standard's aesthetic limit for Total Dissolved Solids (TDS) is set at $\le 1200mg/L$ (ppm).

Latin American Standard Approach

The general summary of Latin American standards, noting their high variability and adherence to the WHO, was based on an academic comparison:

Source: Drinking Water Standards in South American Countries: Convergences and Divergences

• Key Data: Notes that while WHO guidelines are influential, there are "considerable discrepancies" and many regulations need updating for current water safety challenges.