PFAS Water Contamination: The Town That Took On Forever Chemicals and Won (Sort Of)

When clean water isn't clean. A powerful visual reminder of how PFAS contamination can quietly poison entire communities.

I just read a powerful article by journalist Marta Zaraska, published in The Guardian. If you care about clean water, public health, or environmental safety, it is absolutely worth your time. Zaraska's in-depth reporting on the town of Ronneby, Sweden, reveals the most severe case of PFAS contamination ever found in municipal drinking water.

Ronneby is a quiet town known for its fresh air and close-knit community. For years, it was also known for having some of the cleanest tap water in Sweden. That image was shattered in 2013 when residents learned their water had been contaminated with PFAS, a class of synthetic chemicals often referred to as "forever chemicals." The source was firefighting foam used at a nearby air force base. The foam had been sprayed on training grounds for decades, seeping into the soil and eventually making its way into the town's water system.

The contamination was not minor. Blood tests showed that children from affected neighborhoods had PFAS levels over 37 times higher than those from surrounding areas. Some residents had levels more than 1,000 times above current safety guidelines. And the most troubling part was that this exposure had gone unnoticed for years.

The people of Ronneby responded. A small group of residents formed the PFAS Association and took their case to court. They were not seeking compensation for diagnosed illnesses. They were fighting for recognition that having PFAS in their blood was harm in itself. It was a difficult road, with setbacks along the way. Eventually, in December 2023, Sweden's Supreme Court delivered a groundbreaking ruling. It confirmed that PFAS contamination in the bloodstream qualifies as personal injury, regardless of whether someone is sick.

This ruling was historic. It was the first time a court had acknowledged chemical exposure alone as enough to justify legal compensation. Legal experts and environmental advocates around the world took notice.

Still, the fight in Ronneby is not over. New lawsuits are being filed. Residents continue to deal with health issues and uncertainty. Some are struggling with guilt, especially parents who unknowingly passed PFAS to their children during pregnancy or through breastfeeding. Researchers have found higher risks of developmental delays, weakened immune systems, and long-term conditions in children exposed to PFAS early in life.

Even with growing awareness, the problem persists. Although some types of PFAS have been banned in the United States and European Union, manufacturers have simply replaced them with newer versions. These alternatives are often just as persistent and harmful, but they are not as well understood or regulated.

The story of Ronneby is both heartbreaking and inspiring. It shows how ordinary people can stand up to powerful systems when their health and safety are at risk. It also serves as a warning. PFAS contamination is not just a local issue. These chemicals are found in products, water supplies, and even the bloodstreams of people around the world.

If you want to understand what is really at stake in the fight against forever chemicals, read Marta Zaraska’s article in The Guardian. It is one of the most important pieces of reporting on PFAS to date and it gives a voice to the people who are living with its consequences every day.

If you have questions, anything to add to this topic, or have found anything related to PFAS that others should know, reach out and share it with me.

About the Author: Erik is the writer behind The Forever Chemical Files, a blog about living with less exposure to PFAS (forever chemicals). After seeing cancer affect his family, he set out to find safer, PFAS-free alternatives — and share what he learns along the way.