The results of a study spearheaded by Harvard University published in Environmental Science & Technology Letters report the presence of potentially unhealthy levels of perfluoroalkyl substances (PFASs) in the drinking water of numerous areas throughout the United States.
PFASs are chemicals that are heat, oil and water resistant. They are used in products like fabric stain protectors and waterproofers, food packaging, lubricants, and firefighting foams. But PFASs are probably most well-known for their use in Teflon to keep food from sticking to cookware.
“Drinking water contamination with poly- and perfluoroalkyl substances poses risks to the developmental, immune, metabolic, and endocrine health of consumers,” the study abstract states. “We find drinking water supplies for 6 million U.S. residents exceed US EPA’s lifetime health advisory (70 ng/L) for PFOS and PFOA.”
Perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA) and perfluorooctane sulfonate (PFOS) are substances that come from PFAS. This Think Progress article (which provides a good summary of the research) noted these significant study findings:
- Being near a manufacturing site makes a public water system 81% more likely to have elevated levels of PFAS pollution.
- 75% of public water systems that exceeded PFAS federally recommended safety levels were found in 13 states: Alabama, Arizona, California, Florida, Georgia, Illinois, Minnesota, Massachusetts, New Jersey, North Carolina, New York, Ohio, and Pennsylvania.
In this issued response to the study, Water Quality Association (WQA) Deputy Executive Director Pauli Undesser said: “This study emphasizes human exposure to unregulated substances with health risks. It is important for consumers to know that public water systems are not required to test and monitor for PFOA and PFOS.”
While public water systems are not required by the EPA to monitor or test for these substances at this time, that could change in the future.
The Think Progress articles states that, “In May, the EPA lowered the recommended safety levels of PFOA and PFOS to no more than 70 parts per trillion.” The article also notes that, historically, lowering safety levels suggests additional EPA regulations could be coming in the next few years.
