Some sparkling water brands do have detectable PFAS, though levels are generally low – often below the EPA's 2024 drinking water limits. Consumer Reports' 2020 testing found PFAS in several major brands, including some at concentrations worth paying attention to. The source water used for carbonation is the main variable: brands using municipal water face the same PFAS exposure risks as tap water; brands using spring or well sources have more variable results.
The short answer: sometimes yes. Sparkling water can pick up PFAS from its source water or, in some cases, from packaging. Whether the levels in your particular brand are worth worrying about depends on which brand you're drinking and how much of it.
This became a real concern after Consumer Reports published PFAS testing of 47 bottled waters, 12 of them carbonated, in September 2020, one of the most widely cited independent tests of its kind. Their analysis found PFAS in a meaningful number of samples, though the results varied significantly by brand.
In that 2020 testing, Consumer Reports measured 30 PFAS in 35 still and 12 sparkling waters, and sparkling waters were more likely than still waters to carry higher levels. Seven sparkling brands had total PFAS above the 1 part per trillion level CR recommends as a ceiling. Two stood out: Topo Chico at 9.76 ppt and Polar Natural Seltzer at 6.41 ppt of total PFAS. Those are sums across many compounds, so they are not directly comparable to the EPA's 4 ppt limits for PFOA and PFOS individually.
The brands that tested lowest were generally those sourcing water from protected spring or artesian aquifers in regions without significant industrial PFAS contamination history. Brands sourcing from municipal water supplies – which the carbonation process doesn't filter – tended to carry whatever PFAS was present in that utility's source water.
Consumer Reports was careful to note that their testing detected total PFAS, and that individual compound concentrations often fell below any single regulatory threshold. But they also pointed out that the EPA's own health advisories – the non-regulatory guidance documents – suggest health effects may occur at fractions of the new MCLs.
La Croix came in at 1.16 ppt total PFAS in the Consumer Reports data, while Sparkling Ice had no detectable PFAS and Spindrift, San Pellegrino, Dasani sparkling, and Schweppes all stayed below 1 ppt. Topo Chico, owned by Coca-Cola, had the highest level; the company said its water met all federal and state PFAS standards and committed to improvements, and a 2021 Consumer Reports retest found its levels cut by more than half.
The carbonation process itself doesn't introduce PFAS. The source water does.
Sparkling water is made by dissolving carbon dioxide gas into filtered water. If that source water has PFAS, the PFAS remains after carbonation – CO2 doesn't react with per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances or remove them. Standard filtration used in beverage production (carbon filtration, microfiltration) doesn't consistently remove PFAS either.
Reverse osmosis is the most effective technology for removing PFAS from water before carbonation, but it's expensive to implement at scale and few beverage manufacturers use it. A 2021 Johns Hopkins study in Water Research tested 101 bottled waters sold in the US and detected PFAS in 39 of them. Notably, brands labeled "purified" – which typically use reverse osmosis – carried significantly less PFAS than spring-water brands, which points to treatment method as the deciding factor.
The packaging adds a second, smaller risk vector. Some can linings and plastic bottles have historically used PFAS-containing coatings. This risk is much lower than source water contamination, but it's worth knowing – particularly for products stored in PET plastic at high temperatures.
This is where I'll be direct: there's no mainstream brand that can definitively claim "zero PFAS" because PFAS are so pervasive in the environment that non-detect just means below the testing threshold – not literally zero.
But some brands show lower results in the independent tests available:
Lower PFAS profiles in available testing: - Perrier: French spring source, 1.1 ppt total PFAS in the 2020 Consumer Reports testing - San Pellegrino: Italian mineral water, 0.31 ppt total PFAS in the same testing - Gerolsteiner: German mineral source, no detectable PFAS in Mamavation's 2025 lab testing - Waterloo Sparkling Water: US brand that has not published its own PFAS results; Mamavation's 2025 testing found 0.911 ppt of one PFAS (6:2 FTS)
Inconsistent or elevated results in some tests: - La Croix: 1.16 ppt total PFAS in the 2020 Consumer Reports testing - Bubly: 2.24 ppt total PFAS in the same testing - Topo Chico: 9.76 ppt in 2020, the highest CR measured, then cut by more than half in a 2021 retest
I want to be clear that "inconsistent results" doesn't mean these brands are dangerous. La Croix levels detected in Consumer Reports testing were generally still below the EPA's 4 ppt MCL. But if you're drinking a lot of sparkling water as a tap water replacement and you're already concerned about PFAS in your tap, choosing a brand with documented low-PFAS results is a reasonable step.
Here's the context that doesn't always make it into these discussions: most US tap water with a PFAS problem has significantly higher PFAS concentrations than what's been found in sparkling water. Check your tap water's actual PFAS levels by ZIP code to see where you stand, and if you're weighing bottled alternatives, see our breakdown of PFAS in bottled water.
According to the EPA's UCMR5 data – the largest PFAS monitoring study ever done in US drinking water – about a third (34%) of US tap water systems have detectable PFAS, and about 16% had at least one PFOA or PFOS sample at or above the new 4 ppt EPA MCL. Among systems where PFOA or PFOS was detected, the median highest reading was 7.5 ppt, with the middle half between roughly 5 and 12 ppt (KnowYourExposure analysis of EPA UCMR5 data). That is higher than most sparkling water results.
If your tap water tests above EPA limits and you're drinking it regularly, switching to sparkling water may not solve your PFAS problem – you'd be trading one PFAS source for another. The more effective path is to check your actual tap water PFAS levels at KnowYourExposure and, if levels are elevated, use a certified PFAS filter on your tap.
For people in areas with clean tap water, sparkling water PFAS is a much lower concern. The volumes most people consume (1–2 liters per day) at the concentrations found in most sparkling water brands translate to low exposure relative to total daily PFAS intake.
Does sparkling water have PFAS? Some brands, sometimes, at low levels. Here's what I'd actually do:
### Does La Croix have PFAS? Consumer Reports' 2020 testing found 1.16 ppt total PFAS in La Croix Natural. That level is below the EPA's 2024 Maximum Contaminant Level of 4 ppt for PFOA and PFOS. La Croix hasn't published independent third-party PFAS test results, so the Consumer Reports data is the best independent reference available.
### Does carbonation add PFAS to water? No. The carbonation process – dissolving CO2 into water – doesn't introduce PFAS. PFAS in sparkling water comes from the source water before carbonation. The standard filtration used in commercial beverage production doesn't reliably remove PFAS.
### Is sparkling water safer than tap water for PFAS? Not necessarily. The answer depends on your specific tap water source. About 34% of US public water systems detected PFAS in EPA UCMR5 testing (a USGS estimate puts PFAS in at least 45% of US tap water), and many affected systems have higher PFAS concentrations than what's been found in most sparkling water brands. If your tap water is clean, it may have lower PFAS than some bottled sparkling waters.
### Which sparkling water brands have the least PFAS? Brands that source from European mineral springs, such as San Pellegrino (0.31 ppt total PFAS in Consumer Reports' 2020 testing), Gerolsteiner (non-detect in Mamavation's 2025 testing), and Perrier (1.1 ppt), showed low results, as did Sparkling Ice (non-detect) and Spindrift (0.19 ppt) in the CR data. No mainstream brand claims literal zero PFAS, but these tend to show the lowest detections.
### Should I stop drinking sparkling water because of PFAS? Probably not. The PFAS levels found in most sparkling water brands are low, and the health risk from moderate sparkling water consumption appears to be minimal compared to the much higher PFAS exposure possible from drinking contaminated tap water. If you're concerned about total PFAS intake, your tap water source is a more important variable to check first.
Does La Croix have PFAS? Consumer Reports' 2020 testing found 1.16 ppt total PFAS in La Croix Natural, below the EPA's 2024 Maximum Contaminant Level of 4 ppt for PFOA and PFOS. La Croix hasn't published independent third-party PFAS test results, so Consumer Reports data is the best independent reference available.
Does carbonation add PFAS to water? No. The carbonation process – dissolving CO2 into water – doesn't introduce PFAS. PFAS in sparkling water comes from the source water before carbonation. Standard commercial filtration used in beverage production doesn't reliably remove PFAS compounds.
Is sparkling water safer than tap water for PFAS? Not necessarily. About 34% of US public water systems detected PFAS in EPA UCMR5 testing, and many affected systems have higher concentrations than most sparkling water brands. If your tap water is already clean, it may have lower PFAS than some sparkling waters.
Which sparkling water brands have the least PFAS? San Pellegrino, Gerolsteiner, and Perrier, which source from European mineral springs, plus Sparkling Ice and Spindrift, showed low or non-detectable PFAS in Consumer Reports' 2020 testing and Mamavation's 2025 testing. No mainstream brand claims literal zero PFAS.
Should I stop drinking sparkling water because of PFAS? Probably not. The PFAS levels found in most sparkling water brands are low, and the health risk from moderate consumption appears minimal compared to drinking contaminated tap water. If concerned about total PFAS exposure, checking your tap water source is a more important first step.