Arizona prepares to test hundreds of drinking water systems for toxic ‘forever chemicals’ – By Clara Migoya (Arizona Republic) / Jan 3, 2023
The Arizona Department of Environmental Quality has initiated a statewide effort to sample over 1,200 public water systems across the state for 29 different kinds of a hazardous chemical known as PFAS.
The goal is to produce a detailed map showing the presence of PFAS in drinking water supplies, the first step toward cleaning up contaminated water sources.
PFAS, short for per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances, are a class of manufactured chemicals that have been used since the late 1940s in a wide variety of products and industries, and can now be found globally in water and soil. A growing body of evidence has shown that long-term exposure, even to low traces of these chemicals, can cause severe health issues.
Mapping the presence of these contaminants in Arizona wells is a crucial first step, especially as many communities grow more reliant on groundwater amid cuts from Colorado River water.
