PFAS in Sydney Tap Water (2025 Update)

If you’ve ever wondered what’s really in Sydney’s tap water, you’re not alone. Over recent years, scientists, water authorities and journalists have focused on a group of chemicals with a name that sounds like a typo: PFAS — per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances.

They’re sometimes called “forever chemicals” — designed to resist heat and water, but doing that job a little too well. They don’t readily break down, and they’ve quietly spread through soil, waterways and, eventually, our taps. This is your 2025 update on what’s in Sydney’s drinking water, what’s being done about it, and what you can do at home to reduce exposure.

What Are PFAS and Why They Matter

PFAS were invented in the 1940s to make things non-stick, stain-resistant or waterproof. You’ll find them in cookware coatings, food packaging, firefighting foams and outdoor gear. Their strength lies in the carbon-fluorine bond, one of the most stable in chemistry — which is also what makes them hard to destroy.

Long-term PFAS exposure has been linked in global research to potential liver, immune and developmental effects. Most people have trace PFAS in their bloodstreams. The practical question is: how much, and from where?

How Common Are PFAS in Sydney Tap Water?

Sydney Water reports that Sydney’s treated drinking water currently meets the Australian Drinking Water Guidelines (ADWG). The 2025 guideline values include:

Sydney Water operates nine filtration plants and publishes regular PFAS results. In 2024 they began weekly monitoring at sites such as the Cascade Water Filtration Plant in the Blue Mountains and installed a granular activated carbon (GAC) plus ion-exchange treatment system, with testing since December 2024 indicating decreasing PFAS in treated water. In April 2025, targeted monitoring found that Jamieson and Shipley reservoirs met existing guidelines but briefly exceeded a proposed new PFOS value on initial sampling; both reservoirs were isolated for maintenance and re-testing.

2025 Research: More PFAS Species Detected (Very Low Levels)

In August 2025, UNSW researchers reported 31 different PFAS compounds in Sydney tap water using advanced methods — including 21 not previously recorded in Australian tap water. The ABC’s summary: more PFAS types than earlier studies, but at very low concentrations and within Australian limits. As an example, some North Richmond samples measured PFOS around ~6 ng/L — below Australia’s 8 ng/L guideline, but above the new U.S. 4 ng/L limit.

What changed is not that Sydney’s water suddenly became unsafe; it’s that testing has become sensitive enough to see what was previously invisible.

How Safe Is Sydney’s Drinking Water?

Safety depends on which benchmark you use. Regulators are tightening limits as methods improve. Here’s a quick comparison:

NSW Health advises that NSW drinking water supplies meet the updated ADWG values. The NSW EPA supports the national NEMP 3.0 framework and continues to review new compounds and evidence as detection improves.

How to Reduce PFAS Exposure at Home

Boiling won’t remove PFAS, and basic taste/sediment filters aren’t designed for them. Independent research points to three effective household approaches:

• Activated carbon adsorption (captures many PFAS molecules)
• Ion-exchange resin (traps charged PFAS species)
• Reverse osmosis (physically rejects PFAS molecules)

Tappwater’s approach

Independent lab testing confirms that Tappwater’s 5-stage activated-carbon technology removes chlorine, microplastics and other chemical contaminants from tap water. Activated carbon is the same filtration method recognised by health authorities worldwide as one of the most effective for reducing PFAS compounds.

PFAS-specific testing is scheduled for 2025 to further validate reduction levels under Australian conditions.

Shop the Tappwater Tap Water Filter →

The Bigger Picture: Regulation and Responsibility

The NSW EPA’s adoption of NEMP 3.0 signals a shift toward nationally consistent PFAS management — from site clean-ups to consumer transparency. Advocacy groups such as Friends of the Earth continue to call for tighter limits. The science is moving fast, and so are detection methods. What’s clear is that utilities and households share the same goal: keeping “forever chemicals” out of our bodies and environment.

FAQs

Are PFAS found in all Sydney suburbs?

Small traces can appear anywhere because PFAS travel through air and water. Sydney Water’s testing shows levels below national guidelines across its network.

Does boiling remove PFAS?

No. PFAS are heat-stable; boiling can slightly concentrate them as water evaporates.

Which filters remove PFAS?

Activated carbon, ion-exchange and reverse-osmosis systems are the most effective according to international studies and health authority guidance.

How often does Sydney Water test for PFAS?

Weekly at key filtration plants and quarterly across the broader system, with results published online.

How else can I reduce exposure?

Use an effective filter, minimise food contact with grease-resistant packaging, and follow updates from NSW Health and Sydney Water.

References

1. Sydney Water — PFAS and Drinking Water
2. Sydney Water — Nepean System Q2 2024/25 Water Quality Report (PDF)
3. NSW EPA — Position Statement on PFAS & NEMP 3.0
4. NSW Health — PFAS and Your Health
5. ABC News — 21 New PFAS Chemicals Identified
6. UNSW — More PFAS in Sydney Tap Water Than Previously Thought
7. Friends of the Earth — New Drinking Water Guidelines for PFAS
8. SBS — “Forever chemicals” in water for decades
9. Tappwater — Independent Lab Results (PDF)