JERSEY’S drinking water has remained among “the best in the world” according to results published today by Jersey Water.
In its annual water-quality report, the utility company said that overall results taken from more than 42,000 tests conducted on untreated and treated drinking water in the Island between October 2023 and September 2024, revealed the Island’s water was “fully compliant” with local, UK and EU regulations for PFAS, pesticides and nitrates.
PFAS, per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances known as “forever chemicals” for their inability to naturally degrade, are widely used in society for their water, heat, and stain-resistant properties but public concern is growing about their impact on human health.
The PFAS Scientific Advisory Panel was set up in Jersey last June to advise the government after Islanders were found to have high levels of the man-made chemicals in their bodies following a blood-sampling programme in 2022.
Firefighting foam containing one of the toxic substances, called PFOS, was sprayed at the Airport up until the early 1990s, which then flowed into streams and boreholes in the area used for washing and drinking. The 70 or so Islanders who volunteered to be tested all lived in water catchment areas flowing from the Airport.
The report details Jersey’s drinking water as achieving 99.95% compliance with regulatory standards, with the concentrations of PFAS found in mains water being 68% lower than the UK and EU regulatory limits.
To counteract concerns on PFAS pollution, a detailed section on the chemicals has been included in this year’s report, to reassure Islanders that the mains supply is “safe to drink”, says Jersey Water, which added that current levels of PFAS in the Island are equivalent to one-and -a-half teaspoons of sugar in 100 Olympic-sized swimming pools.
The report also stated that Jersey has not had any water-quality failures since 2016 as a result of working with the farming community to tackle the use of nitrates and pesticides.
Helier Smith, Jersey Water’s chief executive, said: “These results demonstrate the high standards that we adhere to, so that we keep supplying safe, clean and reliable water to the Island.
“We openly publish our results on an annual basis so that Islanders can be assured that our drinking water not only complies with but is below the regulatory limits for more than 100 different chemical and bacterial parameters, as well as 450 pesticides.
“As water quality becomes an increasingly critical issue around the world, our priority, and our commitment, is to consistently maintain both high-quality drinking water and confidence in Jersey Water.”
Jeanette Sheldon, Jersey Water’s head of water quality, added: “We share the public’s concerns about PFAS, and in particular the impact on those Islanders whose private water supplies were contaminated by airport firefighting foam.
“In the last five years, we have increased our PFAS testing by 75% and commissioned 16,656 tests in 2024 alone, demonstrating our commitment to understanding and managing these chemicals.
“It’s also predominantly compliant with the new, more stringent regulations that are coming into effect in the UK, EU and USA between now and 2031. However, we will continue to investigate viable treatment solutions and are committed to complying with any internationally recognised standards that the Government of Jersey sets for the Island.
“PFAS is a complex and evolving issue, with significant information in the public domain. We encourage Islanders to seek out credible and verified sources. Our Water Quality team is available to talk to any customers who have queries about their water quality.”
The utility company’s water quality reports dating back to 2002 are available to read at jerseywater.je/water-quality-report.
