Study finds PFAS in groundwater used by 20% of the US population
Many people in the U.S. may be drinking water with "forever chemicals" in it, according to a U.S Geological Survey studyThese chemicals are called PFAS, and they can be harmful to human health.
The study found that over 20% of the U.S. population, or 71 to 95 million people, could have PFAS in their drinking water. This is because their water comes from groundwater, which can be contaminated with PFAS.
This studys findings indicate widespread PFAS contamination in groundwater that is used for public and private drinking water supplies in the U.S.,said Andrea Tokranov, USGS research hydrologist and lead author of this study.This new predictive model can help prioritize areas for future sampling to help ensure people arent unknowingly drinking contaminated water.
"This is especially important for private well users, who may not have information on water quality in their region and may not have the same access to testing and treatment that public water suppliers do, Tokranov said.
How did PFAS get there?
PFAS chemicals are used in many everyday things, like non-stick pans and fast food containers. They're called "forever chemicals" because they don't break down easily and can stay in the environment for a long time.
Scientists created a map that shows where PFAS ismore likely to be found in groundwater. This map can help people, water companies, and the government understand where the problems are and how to fix them.
What can people do?
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Get your water tested: The only way to know for sure if your water has PFAS is to get it tested.
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Talk to your water company: If you get your water from a public water system, talk to your water company about what they are doing to remove PFAS.
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Learn more from the EPA: The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has information about PFAS and how to treat your water.
Important things to remember:
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This study looked at the Lower 48 states (not Alaska or Hawaii).
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The map shows the chance of PFAS being in the water, not how much is there.
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Some states have their own rules about PFAS in drinking water.
Along with a scientific report, the USGS published aninteractive, online mapso users can see probability estimates of PFAS occurrence. Note that predictive results are intended to be evaluated at state, regional and national scales rather than at individual household levels.
Probability estimates are for the presence of PFAS in groundwater and do not account for any subsequent actions taken by states, municipalities or individuals to treat drinking water. The model does not include estimates of PFAS concentrations; testing is the only way to confirm the presence of contaminants.
The states with the largest populations relying on public water supplies with potentially contaminated groundwater sources are Florida and California. Regarding private wells, Michigan, Florida, North Carolina, Pennsylvania, New York and Ohio have the largest populations relying on potentially contaminated groundwater.
Thenew USGS studywas published inScience.
Photo Credit: Consumer Affairs News Department Images
Posted: 2024-10-25 17:22:28