Tokyo, Dec 24 Potentially harmful PFAS chemicals have been detected at excessive levels in tap water from 44 private suppliers across Japan, including some that supply the Japanese Self-Defence Forces facilities, local media reported Tuesday.
A government survey from fiscal 2020 looked into some 2,000 private suppliers of drinking water nationwide dedicated to supplying hospitals, schools and other facilities, amid growing concerns over the health impact of the widely used and long-lasting substances already detected in water filtration plants and rivers across the country, Xinhua news agency cited a Kyodo News report.
According to the survey, the private water suppliers with excessive PFAS levels include the Air Self-Defence Force's Ashiya Air Base in Fukuoka Prefecture, which saw a reading of 1500 nanograms, the Ground Self-Defence Force's Camp Higashitachikawa in western Tokyo, which detected 343 nanograms, and the Fuchu Prison in western Tokyo, which detected 204 nanograms.
Of the 44 cases, 26 have already implemented measures such as switching to municipal water systems, the report said.
PFAS is a general term for a group of over 10,000 artificial chemicals that include PFOS, or perfluorooctanesulfonic acid, and PFOA, or perfluorooctanoic acid, the two most representative forms of PFAS.
The government currently sets a provisional cap for the two chemicals at a total of 50 nanograms per litre for tap water and rivers.
Since the provisional cap is currently nonbinding, the Environment Ministry has decided to require regular testing of tap water and legally enforce the 50-nanogram cap from April 2026, the report said.
The decision was approved at the ministry's expert panel meeting held on the day, which reviewed the nationwide survey findings.
Known as "forever chemicals" that are extremely persistent in the environment and human bodies, PFAS could accumulate and lead to health problems as they do not degrade over time.
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