Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what assessment his Department has made of the potential impact of levels of trifluoroacetic acid in (a) rivers and (b) drinking water supplies on (i) public and (ii) environmental health.

The Drinking Water Inspectorate is undertaking a research programme to better understand the prevalence of TFA in drinking water sources across England and to assess treatment efficacy.

This work is being coordinated with colleagues in the Environment Agency (EA), DEFRA, and the Health and Safety Executive.

The EA continues to review the best available scientific evidence and has developed a methodology for analysis of TFA in environmental water to inform future priorities.

Future recommendations may include the need for further monitoring data and a revised regulatory approach.