Recently published findings from the Swedish Geological Survey (SGU) send a clear and strategically important signal to the entire water sector: the PFAS challenge in Sweden is more widespread, more complex, and more structural than previously assumed.
In the comprehensive 2023–2025 screening, where groundwater was analysed in areas without known local contamination sources, PFAS were detected at most sampling points. Particularly noteworthy is the ultrashort-chain PFAS compound trifluoroacetic acid (TFA), which was found in over 90% of the samples. Other PFAS substances were also detected, in some cases at concentrations approaching or exceeding guideline values for drinking water.
This shift in the knowledge base means that PFAS can no longer be viewed solely as a localized point-source issue, but rather as a diffuse background burden linked to long-range transport, land use, and atmospheric processes. For water utilities and decision-makers, this translates into a need for long-term, robust, and scalable treatment strategies—rather than temporary corrective measures.
From Knowledge to Capability – HVR’s Technological Position
Conventional PFAS treatment technologies, such as activated carbon, ion exchange, and pressure-driven membranes, can reduce concentrations, but often at the expense of higher operational costs, and increased resource consumption.
This is where HVR Water Purification AB addresses the challenge from a system- and energy-optimized perspective. HVR’s thermally driven advanced technology offers several strategic advantages in PFAS treatment:
- Very high rejection of persistent organic micropollutants, including PFAS, largely independent of molecular size.
- Robust operation at low pressure, with reduced fouling risk and stable long-term performance.
- Seamless integration into hybrid treatment trains, where HVR modules can act as a final polishing step for drinking water or as a concentration stage enabling safe downstream handling of PFAS.
- Utilization of waste heat or low-grade thermal energy, enabling energy-efficient operation and strengthening the link between water and energy systems.
This positions the technology as particularly relevant in the Swedish context, where access to district heating, industrial waste heat, and high sustainability standards create strong conditions for next-generation water treatment solutions.
Looking Ahead: Toward Future-Proof Drinking Water
SGU’s new data clearly demonstrates the need for a paradigm shift in how PFAS is addressed in drinking water supply—from reactive remediation to proactive system design. As regulations tighten and scientific understanding deepens, advanced, energy-integrated treatment technologies will play a critical role.
HVR’s ambition is to act as an enabler in this transition: translating research and innovation into deployable solutions that strengthen water security, protect public health, and build long-term resilience in drinking water systems.
PFAS is a societal challenge—but with the right technology, it is a manageable one.