PFAS and pump technology: cutting through complexity for water utility operators

Across water utility operations worldwide, few topics have generated as much discussion and as much uncertainty as PFAS. Headlines declare them “forever chemicals.” Regulatory bodies are expanding their scope of review. And utility operators are left asking a question that is both reasonable and urgent: what does this mean for the equipment we rely on every day?

We understand that pressure. Managing aging infrastructure, meeting evolving regulations, and keeping communities supplied with safe, reliable water leaves little room for ambiguity. Which is exactly why we believe it is time to cut through the noise and address PFAS clearly, practically, and with the full weight of our technical expertise behind us.

Understanding what PFAS really means

PFAS, Per- and Polyfluoroalkyl Substances -is an umbrella term covering a broad and remarkably diverse family of synthetic chemicals. What every PFAS compound shares is a carbon-fluorine (C–F) bond: one of the strongest single bonds in organic chemistry, with a bond dissociation energy of approximately 500 kJ/mol. That extraordinary stability is precisely what makes these compounds so effective as engineering materials - and, in some of their forms, so persistent in the environment.

But here is where precision matters enormously. Not all PFAS behave the same way, and treating the entire class as a single, monolithic risk obscures the very distinctions that should guide sound, science-based decision-making.

PFAS divides into two fundamentally different categories. Fluoropolymers - materials such as PTFE, PVDF, FEP, FKM, FFKM, and ETFE - are long-chain, high-molecular-weight compounds. Their size and structural stability mean they cannot migrate at a molecular or atomic level; they simply cannot fit through biological membranes or diffuse into water at meaningful concentrations. These materials are widely recognised by scientific and regulatory bodies as being of low concern due to their high molecular weight, exceptional chemical stability, and minimal bioavailability.

Non-polymer PFAS, on the other hand - including PFAAs, fluorinated surfactants, and related short-chain species - are small, mobile molecules. Because of their size, they can travel through water systems, accumulate in biological tissue, and, in certain subcategories, exhibit endocrine activity and other documented adverse health effects. It is these non-polymer species that have rightly drawn the most intensive regulatory scrutiny, and it is the distinction between these two categories that every operator and specifier should understand clearly.

There is one further dimension of transparency that a scientifically informed audience deserves to hear directly: non-polymer PFAS are frequently generated, used, or released during the creation, processing, and disposal of fluoropolymers. While the finished fluoropolymer itself is a large, stable molecule of low concern, its production lifecycle is intrinsically linked to smaller, mobile, and often toxic non-polymer PFAS species. This is a systemic challenge, not a product-level one - and the chemical industry’s recent response illustrates exactly why. Faced with regulatory pressure, many manufacturers have shifted to “alternative” fluorinated surfactants: shorter-chain or novel compounds marketed as safer replacements. But these alternatives are still non-polymer PFAS. The problem has not been solved - it has been moved. This is precisely why Xylem’s approach is not simply to declare fluoropolymers safe and move on, nor to chase reformulations that merely shift the risk profile. Our answer is genuine restraint: selective, limited use of fluoropolymers only where no viable alternative currently exists, where the performance need is real and verified, and where there is no indication of an imminent regulatory ban. We believe that is the more transparent position, and the more defensible one - for our customers, for regulators, and for the communities we all serve together.

How we use fluoropolymers in pump engineering—and why

In pump engineering, fluoropolymers earn their place through performance that is genuinely difficult to replicate. Within the Lowara Applied Water portfolio, fluoropolymers appear in three critical areas of pump design.

In sealing systems, materials such as FPM, FKM, and FFKM - perfluorinated rubber, also marketed commercially as Viton™ and Kalrez® - deliver chemical resistance across an extraordinary range of aggressive media, from chlorinated drinking water to industrial process fluids. They maintain dimensional integrity across wide temperature cycles that would degrade conventional sealing materials, protecting pump internals and preventing leakage in the most demanding service conditions.

In bearing applications, PTFE provides low friction and exceptional wear resistance that translates directly into longer service intervals and reduced maintenance visits. For utility operators managing large fleets of distributed pumps across water networks, that reduction in lifetime maintenance burden is not incidental: it is a meaningful operational and cost advantage.

In cable sheathing for submersible motors, materials such as FEP and ETFE protect electrical systems operating in underground and underwater environments where exposure to moisture, chemicals, and mechanical stress is continuous. In these settings, cable integrity is not just a matter of uptime - it is a matter of safety.

These are not convenience choices. They are engineering decisions rooted in decades of field validation, chosen because no currently available alternative delivers the same combination of chemical resistance, mechanical durability, and proven operational reliability - particularly in applications serving drinking water infrastructure, where performance and safety are inseparable.

It is important to note that across the broad Lowara portfolio, EPDM remains the standard sealing solution in the majority of applications. Fluoropolymer-equipped versions are specified selectively, for applications where performance demands genuinely require it and where no viable alternative yet exists.

A transparent view of the regulatory landscape

The regulatory picture around PFAS is evolving and we are following it with close attention and active engagement. Since preliminary discussions began at the EU level, the number of PFAS species under active review has grown from approximately 5,000 to roughly 10,000. At the same time, no specific fluoropolymer substances have been restricted, and no new limit values have been formally defined for pump materials or water infrastructure applications.

We are not waiting for regulation to finalise before we act. Our internal assessment of the Applied Water product portfolio is already underway - systematically identifying the presence of fluoropolymer-containing components and evaluating feasible alternatives wherever viable options exist. This work is ongoing, because responsible stewardship means staying ahead of the curve rather than reacting to it.

For all Lowara products intended for drinking water applications, third-party certification under applicable approval schemes is already in place, with PFAS parameters actively monitored and subject to reassessment as the regulatory framework develops.  These certifications are not administrative formalities, they represent rigorous, independent verification that our solutions meet the highest standards for human health protection.

What this means for your operations

If you manage water infrastructure, you carry a fundamental responsibility: ensuring that the equipment you specify, install, and operate does not compromise the communities and essential services that depend on it. We take that responsibility alongside you - in the field, in the specification process, and in the continuous work of improving our portfolio.

Our position is grounded in the science: the fluoropolymers used in Lowara pump components are high-molecular-weight, chemically stable materials that have been safety-validated in drinking water applications for decades. They are categorically distinct from the mobile, short-chain non-polymer PFAS species that form the core of regulatory and public health concern. And we will continue to invest in alternative material research so that, as viable options mature, we can evolve our portfolio wherever performance standards can be maintained without compromise.

Water is too essential - and the infrastructure that delivers it too critical - for anything less than full transparency and active partnership. Together, we are committed to ensuring that the equipment at the heart of your operations delivers not just reliable performance, but the confidence that comes from knowing exactly what is inside it, why it is there, and how it is being managed.

We are here to help you navigate this landscape with clarity, not complexity - because that is how we build the more water-secure world our communities need.

For technical enquiries regarding Lowara product specifications and certifications, please contact your Xylem Applied Water representative.

^{Trademark Notice: Viton™ is a trademark of The Chemours Company FC, LLC. Kalrez® is a registered trademark of DuPont de Nemours, Inc. or its affiliates. These trademarks are referenced solely for descriptive purposes to identify the materials used in Lowara pump components. Xylem Inc. is not affiliated with, endorsed by, or officially connected with The Chemours Company FC, LLC or DuPont de Nemours, Inc}