MOENV Strengthens Water Protection: PFAS Added to Taiwan’s Surface Water Quality Standards

To better safeguard public health and the environment, the Ministry of Environment (MOENV) announces draft amendments to the “Classification and Water Quality Standards for Surface Water Bodies,” with a strong focus on controlling per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS), a class of persistent, bioaccumulative, and toxic chemicals that have become a growing global concern.

The proposed amendments introduce PFAS as a regulated parameter for the first time in Taiwan’s surface water standards. Specifically, the combined limit for perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA) and perfluorooctane sulfonate (PFOS), two of the most well-known PFAS is set at 50 ng/L, aligning with Taiwan’s existing drinking water quality standards. This inclusion aims to prevent PFAS contamination in water bodies from posing risks to human health and aquatic ecosystems.

PFAS, often referred to as “forever chemicals,” are widely used in industrial and consumer applications such as non-stick coatings, firefighting foams, and water-repellent materials. Due to their extreme persistence, these substances do not easily break down in the environment and can accumulate in living organisms, leading to potential health risks including hormonal disruption, immune effects, and increased cancer risk.

By incorporating PFAS limits into the surface water quality framework, Taiwan joins the growing number of countries tightening PFAS controls in response to international regulatory trends. The move underscores MOENV’s commitment to align national standards with global environmental and public health priorities, following similar efforts seen in the EU, US, Japan, and South Korea.

In addition to PFAS regulation, the amendment also updates several key parameters to enhance monitoring effectiveness. These include replacing “coliform group” with “E. coli” for more accurate fecal contamination assessment, revising ammonia nitrogen standards for Class C and adding new standards for Class D waters, and adding “recreational water use” as a defined water body purpose to support growing public demand for clean, safe water recreation.

MOENV emphasized that this revision is part of a continuous, adaptive review of water quality standards to ensure relevance and scientific soundness. The updated standards will guide future management by both the central and local environmental authorities.

Detailed amendment documents are available in the attached files and can be accessed from the Executive Yuan Gazette Online (http://gazette.nat.gov.tw/egFront/) three days after the announcement.