By Jessica Miller · Brand Reviews Lead · Reviewed by Dr. Emily Carter, Hydration & Nutrition Editor · Updated
Our team has tracked La Croix’s PFAS story since the original 2020 lab results and cross-checks every figure against the original Consumer Reports report.
Yes — La Croix tested at 1.16 parts per trillion total PFAS in Consumer Reports’ independent 2020 analysis. That is a measurable amount, but it sits well below every enforceable safety limit. The number put La Croix in the middle of the sparkling water pack: higher than Spindrift (0.19 ppt) and San Pellegrino (0.31 ppt), lower than Bubly (2.24 ppt) and far below Topo Chico’s original 9.76 ppt. Here’s what the figure actually means, how it compares, and whether it should change what you drink.
La Croix’s PFAS Number vs Other Sparkling Waters
All figures from Consumer Reports’ 2020 testing of 47 bottled waters, measuring 30 PFAS compounds. Lower is better.
| Brand | Total PFAS (ppt) | vs La Croix |
|---|---|---|
| Spindrift | 0.19 | 6x lower |
| San Pellegrino | 0.31 | ~4x lower |
| Perrier | 1.10 | Nearly identical |
| La Croix | 1.16 | — |
| Canada Dry | 1.24 | Slightly higher |
| Bubly | 2.24 | ~2x higher |
| Topo Chico (2020) | 9.76 | 8x higher |
Where 1.16 ppt sits against the limits
The EPA’s 2024 enforceable limit is 4 ppt for PFOA and PFOS individually — La Croix is well under it. The bottled-water industry standard is 5 ppt single / 10 ppt combined — comfortably under. The only line La Croix crosses is the Environmental Working Group’s 1 ppt precautionary guideline, which is stricter than any actual regulation. The FDA’s April 2025 survey of 197 bottled waters found zero products exceeding EPA limits.
The 2020 Headlines vs What the Data Said
When Consumer Reports published its results in September 2020, “La Croix has PFAS” ricocheted across wellness media within hours. The context that got lost: seven of twelve carbonated waters in the same test exceeded 1 ppt. La Croix wasn’t an outlier — it was the middle of the pack in a category that broadly tests higher than still water, likely because carbonation equipment adds contact points where PFAS-containing materials can leach.
Six years later, the practical takeaway hasn’t changed: a single 2020 sample of 1.16 ppt tells you La Croix was measurably but modestly contaminated at that point in time. PFAS levels vary by batch and bottling plant, and no newer independent retest of La Croix has been published. That uncertainty cuts both ways — and applies to every brand.
Why Carbonated Waters Test Higher Than Still Waters
The pattern in the Consumer Reports data is consistent: 7 of 12 carbonated waters exceeded 1 ppt, versus only 2 of 35 still waters. Three factors explain most of the gap:
- More equipment contact. Carbonation adds pressurised lines, gaskets and seals to the production path — more contact points where fluoropolymer components could contribute trace migration that still-water bottling avoids.
- Source water, not treatment. Many seltzers start from municipal supplies carrying background PFAS. Unlike reverse-osmosis brands such as Essentia (0.2 ppt), most seltzer producers carbonate filtered water without an RO step that would strip PFAS out.
- Flavor essences. Natural flavor extracts move through their own supply chains. Unproven as a PFAS route, but one more input plain still water does not have.
This is why comparing La Croix to a spring water is not apples-to-apples. Against its actual category — carbonated water — 1.16 ppt was better than average.
What to Do If 1.16 ppt Still Bothers You
The figure is legal and mid-pack, but if you drink several cans daily and want it lower, three options ranked by how much they actually change:
- Switch brands (moderate effect). Spindrift at 0.19 ppt or San Pellegrino at 0.31 ppt cut the tested level to roughly a quarter of La Croix’s, with published numbers you can check.
- Carbonate filtered water (largest effect). A certified NSF 53 or NSF 58 filter removes 94-99% of PFAS; add a home carbonator for the fizz. The only route to a verifiable near-zero rather than a single-sample brand figure.
- Reduce cans per day (proportional effect). PFAS exposure is cumulative. Going from four cans to one cuts intake from this source by 75% without changing anything else.
Keep it in perspective: for most people, drinking water is a smaller PFAS source than food packaging, non-stick cookware and household dust.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does La Croix have PFAS in it?
Yes — La Croix tested at 1.16 ppt total PFAS in Consumer Reports’ 2020 independent analysis. That is below the EPA’s 4 ppt enforceable limit but slightly above the EWG’s 1 ppt precautionary guideline.
Is La Croix safe to drink?
By every enforceable standard, yes. Its 1.16 ppt result is well under the EPA’s 4 ppt limit and the industry’s 5 ppt standard, and the FDA’s 2025 survey found no bottled water exceeding federal limits.
Which sparkling water has less PFAS than La Croix?
Spindrift (0.19 ppt), San Pellegrino (0.31 ppt), Dasani sparkling (0.37 ppt) and Schweppes (0.58 ppt) all tested lower. Perrier tested essentially the same at 1.10 ppt.
Has La Croix been retested since 2020?
No newer independent, published retest exists. The 1.16 ppt figure remains the only third-party measurement, and PFAS levels can vary by batch — a limitation that applies to every brand ranking.
Should I stop drinking La Croix because of PFAS?
For most people, no. If you drink several cans daily and want minimum exposure, switching to Spindrift or San Pellegrino roughly quarters the tested level — or filter and carbonate your own water for a verifiable near-zero result.
Sources: Consumer Reports — Bottled Water PFAS Testing (September 2020, 47 products, 30 compounds); EPA — PFAS National Primary Drinking Water Regulation (April 2024); FDA — PFAS in Bottled Water Survey (April 2025, 197 products); Environmental Working Group — PFAS Guidelines; ATSDR/CDC — Health Effects of PFAS; International Bottled Water Association — Voluntary PFAS Standard. Last updated July 2026.
The Bottom Line
La Croix has PFAS — 1.16 ppt in the only independent test on record — and that number is safe by every regulation in force. It landed mid-pack among sparkling waters: four brands tested cleaner, several tested worse. If the 2020 headlines made you nervous, the honest reading is that the whole carbonated category runs slightly higher than still water, and La Croix was never the villain of that dataset. Want lower? Spindrift and San Pellegrino tested at a quarter of La Croix’s level. Want certainty? A certified home filter beats any brand switch.
