To: The Rt Hon Dame Angela Eagle MP, Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs
Tell Us What’s in Our Drinking Water
We call on the UK Government to introduce a new Drinking Water Right to Know.
Every water company should be required by law to publish clear monthly drinking water test results for every supply area and provide a simple water quality summary with every customer bill.
Every water company should be required by law to publish clear monthly drinking water test results for every supply area and provide a simple water quality summary with every customer bill.
Why is this important?
The published results should include the actual concentrations of PFAS, Trifluoroacetic Acid (TFA), nitrates, pesticides, lead and other significant contaminants.
The Government should introduce stronger statutory PFAS standards based on the latest scientific evidence, require routine monitoring and public reporting of TFA, and require bottled water producers to publish the same contaminant information so consumers can make informed choices.
Everyone has the right to know what is in the water they and their families drink every day.
Every day, millions of people across the UK turn on the tap and trust that their drinking water is safe. Yet most of us are never told what contaminants have actually been found in the water we drink. We are simply told that it meets current regulations.
If I buy a bottle of water, a carton of milk or a can of soft drink, I can see what it contains. Why shouldn't I have the same information about the water coming into my home?
PFAS are a large group of man-made chemicals often called "forever chemicals" because they do not break down naturally and can remain in the environment for decades. They have been used since the 1940s in firefighting foams, non-stick cookware, waterproof clothing, food packaging and many industrial processes. Some PFAS pesticides can also break down into Trifluoroacetic Acid (TFA), another highly persistent fluorinated chemical now being found in rivers and drinking water.
Scientific studies have linked exposure to some PFAS with higher cholesterol, reduced immune response, thyroid disease, liver damage, reduced fertility, lower birth weight and some cancers. Scientists are also investigating possible links with children's brain development, including attention, learning and behaviour. TFA has recently been classified by European scientific experts as toxic to reproduction because evidence indicates it may harm fertility and the unborn child.
Because PFAS build up in the environment and in our bodies over time, people living near airports, military bases, firefighting training areas and other contaminated sites often have higher levels than the general population.
People have a right to know whether PFAS, TFA, nitrates, pesticides, lead and other contaminants have been detected in their drinking water, how much has been found and whether levels are changing over time. This is especially important for families with babies and young children, pregnant women and anyone with health concerns.
Other countries are already introducing stronger PFAS standards and greater transparency. The UK should become a world leader in giving people a simple right to know what is in their drinking water.
Clean water is essential to life. Transparency should be too.
The Government should introduce stronger statutory PFAS standards based on the latest scientific evidence, require routine monitoring and public reporting of TFA, and require bottled water producers to publish the same contaminant information so consumers can make informed choices.
Everyone has the right to know what is in the water they and their families drink every day.
Every day, millions of people across the UK turn on the tap and trust that their drinking water is safe. Yet most of us are never told what contaminants have actually been found in the water we drink. We are simply told that it meets current regulations.
If I buy a bottle of water, a carton of milk or a can of soft drink, I can see what it contains. Why shouldn't I have the same information about the water coming into my home?
PFAS are a large group of man-made chemicals often called "forever chemicals" because they do not break down naturally and can remain in the environment for decades. They have been used since the 1940s in firefighting foams, non-stick cookware, waterproof clothing, food packaging and many industrial processes. Some PFAS pesticides can also break down into Trifluoroacetic Acid (TFA), another highly persistent fluorinated chemical now being found in rivers and drinking water.
Scientific studies have linked exposure to some PFAS with higher cholesterol, reduced immune response, thyroid disease, liver damage, reduced fertility, lower birth weight and some cancers. Scientists are also investigating possible links with children's brain development, including attention, learning and behaviour. TFA has recently been classified by European scientific experts as toxic to reproduction because evidence indicates it may harm fertility and the unborn child.
Because PFAS build up in the environment and in our bodies over time, people living near airports, military bases, firefighting training areas and other contaminated sites often have higher levels than the general population.
People have a right to know whether PFAS, TFA, nitrates, pesticides, lead and other contaminants have been detected in their drinking water, how much has been found and whether levels are changing over time. This is especially important for families with babies and young children, pregnant women and anyone with health concerns.
Other countries are already introducing stronger PFAS standards and greater transparency. The UK should become a world leader in giving people a simple right to know what is in their drinking water.
Clean water is essential to life. Transparency should be too.
