Some water problems are visible.
We see dry taps, falling groundwater levels, and polluted rivers.
But the most dangerous water problems are the ones we cannot see.
Across the world, a class of contaminants known as PFAS – Per- and Polyfluoroalkyl Substances – is emerging as one of the biggest threats to drinking water safety. Often referred to as “forever chemicals, PFAS compounds do not break down in the environment. Once they enter water sources, they remain there for decades, accumulating silently in ecosystems and in the human body.
India is not immune to this challenge. In fact, India’s rapid industrialisation, growing urbanisation, and dependence on groundwater make it especially vulnerable.
This is not a future problem.
It is a delayed problem—and the delay is closing fast.
PFAS are widely used in modern industry. They are found in firefighting foams, specialty coatings, textiles, packaging, electronics, and chemical manufacturing. These substances enter the environment through industrial discharge, landfill leachate, and runoff, eventually making their way into groundwater and surface water sources.
Globally, PFAS contamination has already triggered strict regulatory action. The United States and Europe have moved toward near-zero limits for PFAS in drinking water. Scientific studies increasingly link long-term PFAS exposure to immune suppression, hormonal imbalance, liver damage, developmental disorders, and increased cancer risks.
India may not yet have defined nationwide PFAS limits—but the direction is unmistakable.
History has shown us this pattern before.
Arsenic. Fluoride. Nitrates.
Each was once considered a localised or future concern—until it became a nationwide public health issue. PFAS follows the same trajectory, except it is harder to detect, harder to remove, and far more persistent.
India’s water treatment infrastructure was designed to address traditional contaminants—suspended solids, pathogens, hardness, and salinity. PFAS behaves very differently.
PFAS molecules are:
As a result, most conventional treatment processes allow PFAS to pass through untreated. Technologies such as activated carbon or membranes may provide partial removal, but often suffer from short media life, high operating costs, inconsistent performance, or complex disposal challenges.
What India needs is not a generic solution.
It needs targeted PFAS removal that works reliably in real-world Indian water conditions.
PFAS contamination is not just a water quality issue. It creates a ripple effect across sectors:
When PFAS limits are enforced, reactionary upgrades will be expensive, rushed, and disruptive. Prevention, on the other hand, allows for control, predictability, and long-term resilience.
INDION® PFAR represents a shift from reactive treatment to preventive water safety.
It is a speciality ion exchange resin engineered specifically for PFAS removal, developed with a clear understanding of the challenges posed by Indian water matrices. Unlike conventional resins, INDION® PFAR selectively removes PFAS compounds while maintaining stable hydraulic performance and predictable operating life.
What this delivers on the ground:
This is not a laboratory solution.
It is engineered for real plants, real water, and real accountability.
PFAS does not affect only one industry or geography. INDION® PFAR supports safe drinking water across:
Wherever water safety is critical, PFAS removal becomes essential.
For more than six decades, Ion Exchange has worked at the intersection of water chemistry, engineering, and public impact. The approach has always been clear: water solutions must perform not only at commissioning, but consistently over years of operation.
INDION® PFAR continues this philosophy.
It reflects an understanding that tomorrow’s water challenges must be addressed today, before they escalate into emergencies. It is about helping organisations move ahead of regulation, ahead of public concern, and ahead of irreversible damage.
Every decade brings one defining water challenge.
Yesterday, it was hardness and salinity.
Then arsenic and fluoride.
Today, it is PFAS.
The difference this time is speed.
Global standards are evolving faster than infrastructure cycles. What begins as awareness quickly becomes compliance. What starts as a health discussion becomes a regulatory obligation.
If you operate any of the following, PFAS is already relevant to you:
In many cases, PFAS may already be present—unmeasured and unmanaged.
The first step is not replacement or overhaul.
It is understanding exposure.
PFAS challenges are not solved through emergency retrofits. They are solved through early assessment, targeted technology, and systems designed for long-term reliability.
INDION® PFAR enables water systems to adapt before PFAS becomes a crisis, not after. It allows organisations to transition from reactive treatment to preventive water safety—without disrupting existing infrastructure or inflating operating costs.
For many facilities, the real question is no longer:
“Do we need to think about PFAS?”
It is:
“How prepared are we when standards change?”
PFAS contamination is invisible. Its impact is not.
Organisations that act early will avoid rushed upgrades, regulatory pressure, and erosion of public trust. More importantly, they will demonstrate leadership by choosing water safety that anticipates risk instead of reacting to it.
With INDION® PFAR, Ion Exchange is enabling industries, institutions, and communities across India to take that step with confidence.
Safe drinking water today is no longer defined by what meets the eye.
It is defined by what has been responsibly removed.
Connect with our experts to start a PFAS readiness conversation.