The United States Geological Survey conducted the first study of PFAS presence in the nation's water supply, and found that nearly half of both public and private water sources contained the chemicals. PFAS, also commonly referred to as "forever chemicals," may lead to adverse health risks through high concentrations and ongoing exposure, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency has warned.
"USGS scientists tested water collected directly from people's kitchen sinks across the nation, providing the most comprehensive study to date on PFAS in tap water from both private and public supplies," said lead study author and USGS research hydrologist Kelly Smalling. "The study estimates that at least one type of PFAS - of those that were monitored - could be present in nearly half of the tap water in the U.S. Furthermore, PFAS concentrations were similar between public supplies and private wells."
The study found nearly half of both private and public water sources contained the potentially hazardous chemicals. According to the USGS, this is the first study testing and comparing PFAS in tap water on a broad scale throughout the country.
According to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), PFAS are a class of synthetic chemicals that have been used extensively in both industry and consumer goods since the 1940s and comprise a diverse range of thousands of compounds, some of which have undergone more extensive research and usage than others. PFAS are referred to as "forever chemicals" because they degrade slowly and have the potential to accumulate over time in humans, animals, and the environment.
Research shows people can be exposed to PFAS through contaminated water, certain occupations, contaminated foods, swallowing contaminated dust or soil, breathing air that contains PFAS, and using products made with or packaged in materials containing PFAS.
The findings from the USGS study reveal that a minimum of 45% of the nation's tap water is estimated to be contaminated with one or more varieties of PFAS chemicals. However, the USGS cautions that the total number of PFAS compounds exceeds 12,000, and not all of them can be identified using current testing methods. Moreover, the study conducted by the USGS focused on detecting the presence of 32 types of PFAS.
Tap water samples were collected from 716 locations, encompassing areas with varying degrees of human impact, ranging from low to medium to high. The most commonly detected PFAS chemicals included PFBS, PFHxS, and PFOA. USGS scientists estimate that the likelihood of PFAS not being detected in tap water is approximately 75% in rural areas and around 25% in urban areas. The sampling period for the study spanned from 2016 to 2021.
The USGS said that although additional research is necessary to fully comprehend the relationship between PFAS exposure levels and their health implications, the EPA affirms that current scientific inquiries have identified a potential correlation between these persistent chemicals and adverse health complications.
The USGS said that ongoing studies are investigating the health effects of long-term, low-level exposure to PFAS, especially among children, with the aim of advancing understanding in this domain.
According to the EPA, peer-reviewed scientific studies indicate that exposure to specific levels of PFAS is associated with reproductive effects, developmental impacts in children, increased cancer risk, compromised immune system function, disruption of natural hormones, and elevated cholesterol levels or obesity risk.
