Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFASs), often called “forever chemicals”, are highly persistent and widely distributed contaminants that pose a serious threat to drinking water quality. In a study published in Water & Ecology, an international team used bibliometric analysis of 1,281 Web of Science–indexed publications (2003–2023) to document sustained growth in research on PFASs in drinking water. For the first time, the study integrates pollution pathways, monitoring, and treatment into a single framework that directs researchers and regulators to the key bottlenecks—namely, the challenges of monitoring and removing short-chain and ether-based compounds and safely managing concentrated treatment residuals.