Study Shows PFAS Contamination of Drinking Water More Prevalent than Previously Reported
By Pat Levac
The samples with detectable levels of PFAS contained, on average, six or seven different compounds.
New laboratory tests commissioned by the Environmental Working Group have for the first time found per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) in the drinking water of dozens of U.S. cities, including major metropolitan areas. The results confirm the number of Americans exposed to PFAS from contaminated tap water has been underestimated by previous studies, both from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and EWG’s own research.
Based on EWG’s tests and new academic research that found PFAS widespread in rainwater, EWG scientists now believe PFAS are likely detectable in all major water supplies in the United States, almost certainly in all that use surface water. EWG’s tests also found chemicals from the PFAS family that are not commonly tested for in drinking water.
Tags: drinking water, EWG, NGWA, PFAS, tap water