Bluewater urges global PFAS action, highlights Africa’s monitoring gaps

Five-country review links low-level PFAS in drinking water to measurable increases in blood concentrations

STOCKHOLM, Oct. 21, 2026 -- Bluewater, the Swedish water purification and beverage solutions company, is urging governments around the planet to strengthen PFAS pollution controls, increase funding for research, monitoring and treatment, and make water testing results more accessible. It also called for expanded PFAS research in under-studied regions, such as Africa, where limited data leave critical gaps in understanding the extent of human exposure to toxic chemicals and other contaminants in tap water.

Bluewater cited international research supporting the need for stronger monitoring and pollution controls. A reviewpublished in July 2026 in the Journal of Exposure Science & Environmental Epidemiology examined 10 studies involving 4,576 participants across five countries: Sweden, China, the United States, Germany and Spain. It found associations between low-level PFAS in drinking water and higher PFAS concentrations in blood, most consistently for a compound known as PFHxS. Findings varied by chemical and concentration.”

The review followed a separate 2024 Nature Geoscience analysis of more than 45,000 surface-water and groundwater samples found widespread PFAS contamination. Sampling was concentrated in better-studied regions, limiting conclusions about worldwide prevalence. These findings do not establish the proportion of global tap water that is unsafe.

“Water contamination crosses borders, but access to testing and protection remains uneven,” said Bengt Rittri, Bluewater founder and CEO. “Governments must prevent avoidable PFAS releases, establish and enforce science-based drinking water limits, and fund monitoring and treatment. Families and employers need clear information and practical ways to address identified contamination.”

Rittri also called for greater investment in under-researched regions.

“Limited monitoring in Africa and Latin America also leaves critical gaps in understanding contamination and exposure in those regions,” he said. “A lack of data must not be mistaken for evidence of safety. For example, as African economies develop, investment in testing and pollution prevention should intensify to keep pace.”

PFAS, short for per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances, are persistent synthetic chemicals used in industrial processes and consumer products. Exposure to certain PFAS has been associated with immune effects, developmental effects and some cancers. Risks depend on the compound and exposure.

In July 2026, the World Health Organization published a landscape review recommending 18 PFAS and six health-effect categories for further evaluation to support the development of health-based values.

“Since 2013, Bluewater has developed advanced water purification systems such as our second generation SuperiorOsmosis tech as well as planet-friendly beverage solutions that support alternatives to single-use plastic bottles at home, in the workplace and in public settings such as gyms and events,” Rittri said. “Households should request local water testing results. Employers should assess workplace drinking water and act on identified contamination. Authorities must strive harder to turn scientific evidence into effective protection.”

Media contact:
Dave Noble, Bluewater press and communications chief
david.noble@bluewatergroup.com Learn more about Bluewater’s health and wellness systems and solutions by visiting bluewatergroup.com.