Water is the elixir of life. We can’t live without it. Fifty-five to 60 percent of our bodies are composed of it. Beach vacations would be very tricky without it. But what happens when drinking water goes awry?

A recent study reveals that drinking water in 15 countries were found to contain PFAS [pea-fass], or forever chemicals, which are synthetic products with applications from firefighting to making fabric stain- and water-resistant.

They are also believed to cause cancer, increase cholesterol, disrupt hormones, and contribute to a variety of other health issues.

The study examined still water, sparkling water, water in glass bottles, and water in plastic bottles. It also compared 55 tap water samples from the United Kingdom and China.

Researchers found that two of the most common forever chemicals were present in 99% of the bottled water they examined. There was no notable difference between the levels of PFAS found in the water, whether it was bottled in glass or plastic bottles, or if it was sparkling or still.

The study also showed natural mineral water sourced from groundwater contained higher levels of PFAS than water advertised as being purified.

Forever chemicals were also found in much higher concentrations in tap water in China versus the U.K.

The researchers did not leave us high and dry, however. They found that boiling or applying activated carbon filtration removes a significant amount of forever chemicals from the water.

Since cutting water out of our diet is not exactly an option, pouring your H2O into a water filtration bottle is a simple solution for now, as more research studies unfold.