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Study says drinking water from nearly half of US faucets contains potentially harmful chemicals - AP News

🔬 A government study released July 5, 2023, indicates that nearly half of U.S. drinking water likely contains PFAS "forever chemicals" linked to health issues like kidney cancer.

⚠️ The U.S. Geological Survey tested tap water from 716 locations, including 447 public supply systems and 269 private wells, finding contamination across large cities, small towns, and rural areas.

🧪 Researchers analyzed samples collected between 2016 and 2021 for 32 detectable PFAS compounds, identifying most frequently as PFBS, PFHxS, PFOA, and PFOS.

📉 The median concentration of all detected PFAS types was approximately seven parts per trillion, with proposed EPA limits standing at four parts per trillion for PFOA and PFOS.

🗺️ Highest exposure levels were recorded in urban centers along the Eastern Seaboard, Great Lakes region, Great Plains, and parts of California.

💧 The study marks the first nationwide effort to test PFAS in tap water from both regulated public supplies and private wells.

⚖️ While the U.S. EPA proposed federal drinking water limits in March for six PFAS forms, a final decision is expected later this year or in 2024.

🏭 Advocates argue that companies using PFAS should be required to treat their own waste rather than allowing dumping into public wastewater systems.

🐀 Animal studies link exposure to these chemicals with kidney and testicular cancer, high blood pressure, and low birth weight in humans.

🏠 Private well users are particularly vulnerable as they lack the filtration often present in municipal water treatment plants.

🧽 The Environmental Working Group recommends activated carbon or reverse osmosis filters to remove PFAS from private drinking water.

🌍 Thousands of other PFAS compounds exist but remain undetectable with current technology used in this study.

📝 Most taps were sampled once, though three sites were tested multiple times over three months with little change in results.

⚙️ The U.S. Geological Survey is a scientific research agency and thus the report makes no policy recommendations but offers risk evaluation data.

🏛️ Samples included protected lands like national parks, areas with no identified PFAS sources, and urban centers with known industrial waste sites.

📊 At least one form of PFAS was detected in about 45% of tap water samples nationwide according to the study estimates.

💬 Lead author Kelly Smalling stated the data can help residents decide whether to test their water or obtain treatment options locally.

Risk Factors
  • Drinking water from nearly half of U.S. faucets likely contains PFAS 'forever chemicals' linked to kidney cancer and other health problems, according to a government study released on July 5, 2023.
  • Researchers found at least one form of PFAS could be detected in about 45% of tap water samples nationwide, with positive samples containing as many as nine varieties of compounds.
  • The EPA has proposed limits for specific PFAS like PFOA and PFOS at four parts per trillion, yet the median concentration in tested samples was around seven parts per trillion for all types combined.
  • The government has not prohibited companies using PFAS from dumping them into public wastewater systems, creating ongoing exposure risks despite the EPA's March proposal for federal drinking water limits.
  • Private well users are particularly vulnerable as they rely on unregulated water sources; thousands of other PFAS compounds exist that cannot be spotted with current technology.
  • Studies link PFAS to serious health issues including kidney and testicular cancer, high blood pressure, and low birth weight in lab animals.
  • Samples were taken between 2016 and 2021 from mostly residences but also schools and offices, indicating widespread contamination across various settings.
Full Analysis
A government study released Wednesday revealed that drinking water from nearly half of U.S. faucets likely contains PFAS, synthetic compounds known as "forever chemicals" due to their persistence in the environment and human body. Conducted by the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS), this nationwide effort is the first to test tap water from both public supplies and private wells. Researchers analyzed samples from 716 locations across the country between 2016 and 2021, including residences, schools, and offices in urban centers, rural areas, and near industrial sites. The data showed that at least one form of PFAS could be detected in approximately 45% of tap water samples nationwide, with median concentrations around seven parts per trillion for the 32 compounds tested. The specific chemicals most frequently found included PFBS, PFHxS, PFOA, and PFOS. While many tests detected multiple varieties—with some samples containing up to nine different PFAS compounds—most contained closer to two types. The highest levels of exposure were concentrated in cities on the Eastern Seaboard, near the Great Lakes and Great Plains, as well as in Central and Southern California urban centers. Many rural areas tested negative for PFAS. Lead author Kelly Smalling, a research hydrologist, noted that while the USGS is a scientific agency and did not issue policy recommendations, the findings allow individuals to evaluate exposure risks and make informed decisions about testing their own water or installing treatment systems. In light of these findings, experts are urging private well users to have their water tested and consider filtration methods such as activated carbon or reverse osmosis membranes. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency has proposed federal drinking water limits for six PFAS compounds, with a final decision expected later this year or in 2024. However, advocates like Scott Faber of the Environmental Working Group emphasize that regulation alone is insufficient; he stated that polluters should be required to treat their own wastes at the source rather than relying on post-treatment solutions after chemicals have entered water systems. Laboratory animal studies previously linked PFAS exposure to kidney and testicular cancer, high blood pressure, and low birth weight, underscoring the health implications of widespread contamination.