Dear Mayor,
All projections point in the same direction: PFAS will be the next major health scandal of the coming 5 years.
2025–2030: A Health Time Bomb
What asbestos was in the 1990s… What endocrine disruptors became in the 2010s… PFAS will be for the 2025–2030 period.
The first warnings are already here: press investigations, public health reports, American studies, local analyses… They confirm a phenomenon that no expert disputes any longer: PFAS are spreading massively through drinking water networks, including in small municipalities.
And this risk is progressing silently. Because these "forever chemicals" do not disappear:
- They accumulate in the blood — without naturally degrading
- They pass through traditional filters in treatment plants
- They resist current municipal water treatments
- And they now affect rural and urban areas alike
What Exactly Are PFAS?
PFAS (per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances) are a family of over 4,700 synthetic chemical compounds used since the 1950s in everyday products: non-stick coatings, food packaging, firefighting foams, waterproof textiles, cosmetics…
Their defining feature: the carbon-fluorine bonds they contain are among the strongest in organic chemistry. The result: they virtually never break down in the environment. Hence their nickname "forever chemicals".
Health effects are documented by numerous scientific studies:
- Endocrine system disruption (thyroid, reproductive hormones)
- Increased risk of certain cancers (kidney, testicular, liver)
- Weakened immune system, particularly in children
- Increased cholesterol and cardiovascular disease
- Effects on fertility and foetal development
The Problem Nobody Dares to State Clearly
Even bottled water sold in supermarkets is not a safeguard.
Many municipalities distribute budget bottled water to their residents, thinking they are protecting them. Unfortunately:
- The potential presence of PFAS is often unknown
- No mayor has control over the analyses
- And in the event of future revelations, this choice could become a major political risk
Because in a health scandal, it is never the manufacturers who are singled out first… It is local authorities, accused of "not having anticipated".
Your Liability Could Be at Stake
Across Europe, local officials are beginning to worry. The first legal notices from consumer associations are already appearing. The pressure increases every month.
The question is no longer: "Will there be a scandal?"
But: "Who will have anticipated… and who won't?"
The regulatory framework is tightening — EU Directive 2020/2184 on the quality of water intended for human consumption introduces for the first time limit values for PFAS: 0.10 µg/L for the sum of 20 individual PFAS and 0.50 µg/L for total PFAS. Member States must transpose these thresholds by 12 January 2026.
There Is a Simple, Modern and Controlled Solution: Aquabox
In several European countries, local authorities have chosen a proactive path: installing a standalone purification station that delivers genuinely purified, traceable and controlled water.
- Elimination of up to 99.9% of PFAS, microplastics, pesticides, pharmaceutical residues
- Cost per litre divided by 10 compared to bottled water
- Zero plastic, zero storage, zero bottles — an eco-responsible solution
- Quick installation, automated maintenance and full traceability
- A visible, modern and valued service for the municipality's image
Aquabox provides an immediate answer to the question the media will soon be asking:
"What have you done to protect your residents from PFAS?"
Your Municipality Can Get Ahead
DIMM, a water treatment wholesaler since 1991, supports local authorities in implementing advanced purification solutions:
- Free audit of your municipality's water quality (PFAS, microplastics, pesticides)
- Feasibility study for installing an Aquabox station tailored to your capacity
- Full support: installation, maintenance, technical staff training
- Financing solutions adapted to local authority budgets, eligible for environmental subsidies
Protecting your residents cannot wait until tomorrow. Protecting your mandate, even less.
For a personalised analysis of your municipality's situation, contact DIMM.
Sources — The information in this article is based on public data: public health reports, ANSES studies, EU Directive 2020/2184, EPA studies (Environmental Protection Agency, USA). DIMM NV does not substitute for the competent health authorities.