The French bottled-water sector is under renewed pressure as Sources Alma, one of the country’s largest producers, has stopped using three mineral water sources after PFAS contamination was detected. The affected sites include the Parot spring in Saint-Romain-le-Puy (Loire) and two boreholes supplying Perle water in Vals-les-Bains (Ardèche).
Authorities in the Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes region tested 35 sources in 2025. PFAS findings at three sites led to reinforced monitoring by state services, while the operator decided to halt the use of the impacted sources.
PFAS (per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances) are a group of synthetic chemicals widely used in industrial and consumer products such as non-stick coatings, waterproof materials and food packaging. Often referred to as “forever chemicals,” they are extremely persistent in the environment and can accumulate over time in water, soil and the human body.
A spokesperson for Sources Alma stated that Parot water is no longer marketed and described the detected levels as “nanotraces” without risk to human health. However, while concentrations were below the 100 nanograms per liter limit applicable to tap water, they exceeded the stricter 30 nanograms per liter threshold for natural mineral waters.
The situation does not affect Cristaline, Saint-Yorre or Vichy Célestins, which are also linked to Sources Alma but are not bottled at the Loire site concerned. Nevertheless, the case adds to ongoing scrutiny of the group, which—like Nestlé (inside.beer, 29.4.2024)—has been under judicial investigation in Paris since February 2025 following complaints by Foodwatch alleging misleading practices in the treatment of mineral waters.
More broadly, regional authorities highlighted progress in reducing PFAS emissions from industrial sites in the so-called “chemical valley” south of Lyon, where discharges into surface water have fallen significantly since 2022.
