PFAS could be present in nearly half of drinking water

One Water news reports that nearly half of U.S. drinking water supplies likely contain at least one form of per- and poly-fluoroalkyl substances (PFAS), according to a recently published study conducted by the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS).

Commonly known as “forever chemicals” because of their persistence in the environment, PFAS comprise a class of thousands of synthetic compounds that are frequently found in many different consumer, commercial, and industrial products. In recent years, PFAS have been detected at varying levels in a growing number of water supplies across the United States.

Exposure to certain levels of some PFAS could lead to adverse health outcomes in humans and animals, according to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), though additional research is needed to understand such outcomes in more detail.

A focus on tap water

For its study, the USGS collected tap water samples from 716 locations across the United States between 2016 and 2021, according to the article titled “Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) in United States tapwater: Comparison of underserved private-well and public-supply exposures and associated health implications,” which was made available June 17 on the website of the journal Environment International. Of the samples, 269 came from private wells and 447 came from public water supplies.