Dangerous levels of PFAS detected in water for 27 million. Did the EPA find it near you? – By Austin Fast, Cecilia Garzella (USA Today) / Aug 19, 2023
Toxic “forever chemicals” are far more widespread through the country’s drinking water systems than previously known, according to new EPA data released Thursday.
A USA TODAY analysis shows hundreds of community water systems, serving more than 27 million Americans, found at least one of 29 types of these chemicals in concentrations that exceed the EPA’s new, lower reporting limits.
Per- and polyfluorinated alkyl substances, or PFAS, are a family of chemicals widely used for years in nonstick coatings, water-repellent fabrics and other household and industrial products, but they’re now known to increase risk for some cancers, among other harmful health effects. Some call PFAS ‘forever chemicals’ because they’re nearly indestructible and can build up over time in human bodies.
“You can’t institute any changes in your home if you don’t have information,” said Jamie DeWitt, professor of pharmacology and toxicology at East Carolina University. “This, at a minimum, is providing information to communities about what they may need to do at the community or household level to reduce their exposures if their exposures are above the proposed limits.”
