Risks of PFAS in Drinking Water
- Published:
- Updated: January 2, 2025
Summary
The risks of PFAS in drinking water include:
Adverse health effects: Exposure to PFAS through drinking water can lead to changes in cholesterol levels, decreased fertility, increased risk of certain cancers, weakened immune system, developmental issues, thyroid problems, and liver and kidney damage.
Persistence and accumulation: PFAS are highly persistent chemicals that can take years to break down in the environment. They can accumulate in the food chain and in human bodies over time, leading to long-term exposure and potential health risks.
Lack of federal regulations: Despite the health risks, there are currently no federal regulations for PFAS in drinking water. This lack of regulation makes it challenging to ensure that all Americans have access to safe drinking water free from PFAS contamination.
Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) are a class of synthetic chemicals used for decades in industrial and consumer goods, from non-stick cookware to water-resistant clothing to fire retardants. And while such chemicals are appreciated for their permanence and non-dissolution, they are pernicious to humans and the planet because of their recurrence.
How PFAS Contaminants End Up in Drinking Water
PFAS are chemicals used in industry and consumer goods from the 1950s onwards that are synthetic. They are created to be stable, non-toxic and degrade resistant, so they can be found in products such as non-stick cookware, food containers, and fire retardant foams. It is also hard for PFAS to degrade and escape from the environment, so they have been detected in drinking water at industrial sites, military installations and airports where fracking foam has been applied. PFAS can also leak into the groundwater of landfills and solid waste dumps, which is why they’re public health issues.
As you can tell, PFAS is not one chemical — it’s thousands of chemicals of different properties and potencies. It is hard for regulators to monitor the science surrounding these chemicals and keep up with how to safely use and dispose of them. PFAS were detected in almost every American tested, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) reports. PFAS are so widely used that we know they must be better controlled and monitored for public health purposes.
The Health Risks Associated with PFAS Exposure
Drinking water is a source of PFAS that can have various negative health effects, such as elevated cholesterol, lower fertility and cancers of some types. PFAS also count as endocrine disruptors – a matter of how they affect the hormone system in the body, which can harm unborn babies, infants and children. We know from research that exposure to PFAS can compromise the immune system, making the body less effective at resisting infections. PFAS has been associated with developmental problems, thyroid damage, liver and kidney damage, among many other health problems.
Now of course, PFAS science and the health effects of exposure are a work in progress and more work is needed to grasp the scope of exposure-related health risks. Since PFAS are abundant in the environment and in human blood, we know they’re a big health risk. Those most at risk from PFAS’ corrosive influence are pregnant women and young children who are more susceptible to their damaging effects.
Current Regulations and Guidelines for PFAS in Drinking Water
However dangerous PFAS can be for the health, there is currently no federal law regarding PFAS in drinking water. The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has issued an unenforceable health advisory of 70 parts per trillion (ppt) for two PFAS chemicals — PFOA and PFOS — but no advisory for other PFAS chemicals. All states now have laws governing PFAS in water, and some state health advisories or maximum levels of contaminant. There is no federal regulation and inconsistency in the states’ regulations to make sure all Americans are drinking water that is free of PFAS. And this absence of regulations also makes it impossible for people to tell if their water is polluted by PFAS without the standard testing and reporting of PFAS.
Testing for PFAS Contamination in Drinking Water
If you don’t know if your water contains PFAS, you should test it. PFAS testing may be required by some water utilities in their water quality testing, but most of the time, the individual is the one who needs to request a test. The EPA suggests people test for PFAS at a certified lab, and lists certified labs on its website.
Identify other sources of PFAS in your surroundings, too. PFAS are also in food containers, fast food wrappers, and microwave popcorn bags, to name just a few. When you do want to be as less exposed to PFAS as possible, be selective about the products you use and look for PFAS-free alternatives when possible.
Minimizing PFAS Exposure in Drinking Water
A few of the ways you can reduce your PFAS exposure to drinking water are to: use a water filter system certified for PFAS removal; avoid non-stick cookware; and take care about what you put in your body that contains PFAS. You can also try putting in a point-of-use treatment device (reverse osmosis system, activated carbon filter) to detoxify your water from PFAS.
Support the regulatory and management of PFAS at the national and local level, too. These can be to demand stricter regulations of PFAS and their application, help clean up contaminated sites, and inform others about the dangers of PFAS exposure.
Long-Term Health Effects of PFAS Exposure
We do not yet know the health effects of PFAS exposure in the long term, and more studies will be needed to fully identify the full extent of PFAS-induced health effects. There are reports that PFAS exposure during a lifetime can trigger some cancers, and developmental and reproductive disorders.
But, also note that some populations are more susceptible to PFAS-related health effects than others. Pregnant women, young children and those with compromised immune systems could be at increased risk of toxic PFAS.
Treating or Removing PFAS Contamination in Drinking Water
Drinking water PFAS can be removed or remedied through many different processes, such as reverse osmosis, activated carbon filter, and ion exchange. Note: These treatments are not always successful depending on what chemicals PFAS are present in the water and how they are treated.
PFAS pollution should also be addressed where the sources of contamination originate (industrial sites, fire retardant foam) so drinking water does not continue to be contaminated.
Persistence of PFAS Chemicals in the Environment and Drinking Water Sources
PFAS are chemical molecules that can take years, decades, to decompose in the environment. PFAS can accumulate in food chain and body tissues, over time, which may cause chronic exposure and illness.
Addressing the Risks of PFAS in Drinking Water
There is work happening at the national and local level to reduce the exposures to PFAS in water. This includes regulation and control of PFAS and their usage, and clean-up of polluted areas. The EPA has created a national PFAS action plan to respond to the threats from these chemicals by establishing a health advisory level for PFOA and PFOS, research to assess the health effects of PFAS exposure, and funding the development of new technologies to clean PFAS in water.
States are now regulating PFAS in water and cleaning up polluted areas in numerous states. These range from health advisory limits on PFAS, to mandating PFAS testing by water utilities, and facilitating research and development of new treatments.
PFAS in drinking water should also be avoided at all costs by individuals themselves. It could mean a certified PFAS-removing water filtration system, not using PFAS-containing products, and helping to regulate and control PFAS at the national and local level. In doing so, we can together stop PFAS in drinking water from threatening public health and the environment.
PFAS are synthetic chemicals that have been used in industrial and consumer products for decades. Although valued for their permanence and non-resilience to decay, they are harmful to human health and the natural world because of their longevity. You should be aware of PFAS hazards in your water supply, get your water tested, and do what you can to limit your exposure to the chemicals. Together, we can save public health and the environment from PFAS poisoning of water supplies.
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