Ronse (Brussels Morning Newspaper) – Farys reassures Ronse residents that tap water is safe. Spokesperson Arno Morsa says tests on Walloon water and city wells meet EU PFAS standards, with 33 checks done since 2022.
As VRT News reported, Farys is addressing rising concerns in Ronse, in the province of East Flanders, Belgium, after many residents reached out about possible PFAS in the tap water. The questions followed national reports about PFAS found in soil and groundwater in other regions.
Spokesperson Arno Morsa says people were worried the chemicals might also be present in their own water supply. He confirms that the company understands these concerns and wants to give clear information to everyone who contacted them.
What makes Ronse tap water safe?
The water company states that the drinking water in Ronse meets all safety rules and is tested often by certified laboratories. These checks include regular measurements for PFAS and other harmful substances.
Morsa says the results show no issues and that residents can rely on the quality of their tap water. Farys adds that it will continue strict monitoring and keep the public informed as worries about PFAS remain high across the country.
“We test both the water from Wallonia and the groundwater that the city produces, and the results are always good.”
Arno Morsa, spokesperson for water company Farys
Farys says Ronse’s drinking water comes from several sources.
“Water comes from Wallonia, and the city also draws its own groundwater from wells at various points,”
Morsa explains.
“Residents in certain parts of the city have effectively been advised not to drink groundwater. But that’s because they live close to a stream with polluted water.
The wells from which the city draws water are located much further from those streams. We test that water very regularly, just like the water we get from Wallonia.”
The company points out that PFAS testing has been required in the European Union since 2022 under new rules that set strict limits for these substances. Farys says its testing programme follows those rules and uses certified labs to check for PFAS and other contaminants.
The results are compared with the official standards to ensure the water stays within safe limits. If the PFAS levels remain below those limits, the water is considered safe to drink. Farys says it will keep up regular checks and share updates so residents can rely on the quality of their tap water.
“Since that requirement, we’ve already tested that water 33 times. So we’ve been systematically monitoring for several years, and not in response to the PAS problems in Ronse,”
Morsa adds.
Public concern about PFAS has increased in Belgium after several pollution cases were uncovered, including the well-known incident near the 3M site in Zwijndrecht. These discoveries drew attention to the presence of PFAS in soil and groundwater and pushed authorities to tighten control.
In 2022, the European Union introduced mandatory PFAS testing in drinking water and set strict limits to protect public health. Water companies, including Farys, must now carry out regular checks and report their results.
