Study Says Drinking Water From Nearly Half of US Faucets Contains Potentially Harmful Chemicals; Nearly Half of U.S. Tap Water Contains ‘Forever Chemicals,’ Study Says

Study says drinking water from nearly half of US faucets contains potentially harmful chemicals:

Drinking water from nearly half of U.S. faucets likely contains “forever chemicals” that may cause cancer and other health problems, according to a government study released Wednesday.

The synthetic compounds known collectively as PFAS are contaminating drinking water to varying extents in large cities and small towns — and in private wells and public systems, the U.S. Geological Survey said.

Researchers described the study as the first nationwide effort to test for PFAS in tap water from private sources in addition to regulated ones. It builds on previous scientific findings that the chemicals are widespread, showing up in consumer products as diverse as nonstick pans, food packaging and water-resistant clothing and making their way into water supplies.

Because the USGS is a scientific research agency, the report makes no policy recommendations. But the information “can be used to evaluate risk of exposure and inform decisions about whether or not you want to treat your drinking water, get it tested or get more information from your state” about the situation locally, said lead author Kelly Smalling, a research hydrologist.

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency in March proposed the first federal drinking water limits on six forms of PFAS, or per- and polyfluorinated substances, which remain in the human body for years and don’t degrade in the environment. A final decision is expected later this year or in 2024.

But the government hasn’t prohibited companies using the chemicals from dumping them into public wastewater systems, said Scott Faber, a senior vice president of the Environmental Working Group, an advocacy organization.

“We should be treating this problem where it begins, instead of putting up a stoplight after the accident,” he said. “We should be requiring polluters to treat their own wastes.” —>READ MORE HERE

WSJ: Nearly Half of U.S. Tap Water Contains ‘Forever Chemicals,’ Study Says:

Study tested water in more than 700 locations nationwide

Close to half of the U.S. tap water supply is contaminated with so-called forever chemicals, a comprehensive study conducted by the U.S. Geological Survey estimated, amplifying public-health concerns over the nation’s drinking water.

Researchers detected at least one of the chemicals—known as PFAS, or per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances—in about 45% of U.S. drinking-water samples. They took samples from private and public water supplies in 716 locations nationwide from 2016 to 2021, the agency said Wednesday, testing for 32 of 12,000 PFAS compounds. The study, researchers said, amounted to one of the most extensive assessments of forever chemicals in U.S. drinking supplies.

The chemicals, long used in consumer products, are found in water, air, food and soil, according to the Environmental Protection Agency. Scientists have linked the chemicals to a number of health problems including high cholesterol, a decreased immune response to vaccines and an increased risk of kidney and testicular cancer and thyroid disease. Nearly everyone in the U.S. has some level of PFAS in their blood, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

The U.S. Geological Survey’s study found exposure to PFAS was more common in areas including the Great Plains, the Great Lakes region, the Eastern Seaboard and central and Southern California. There was a higher probability of detecting the chemicals in urban areas or places with a history of contamination compared with more rural areas, the study found.

Researchers collected samples directly from the taps of residences, office buildings and schools, said Kelly Smalling, a USGS research hydrologist and lead author on the study. —>READ MORE HERE

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