Austria discovers widespread PFAS contamination in groundwater and drinking water

In Austria, only two PFAS‑contaminated sites – the Salzburg airport and the Lebring fire‑training area – are officially listed, but experts warn the known sites are merely “the tip of the iceberg”. Thilo Hofmann of the University of Vienna estimates that hundreds to thousands of locations, including fire‑brigade training grounds, military sites and industrial areas, may be affected.

A private test in the Lower‑Austrian town of Mannswörth found PFAS in both well water (102 ng/L, above the EU limit of 100 ng/L) and tap water (19.8 ng/L, below the EU limit but still a health concern). The contamination is linked to PFAS‑rich fire‑fighting foam used at the nearby OMV refinery in Schwechat. OMV has pledged to cover the cost of switching to tap water but has been slow to respond to residents’ questions about food safety and remediation.

Environmental NGO Global 2000 has launched a nationwide testing campaign for private wells, offering discounted laboratory analysis to identify further hotspots. The group criticises the lack of public data from OMV and stresses long‑term health risks of PFAS exposure, which include cancer, immune system impairment and fertility issues.