Austin Fast, Cecilia Garzella and Abraham Kenmore, USA TODAY
Updated Sat, November 11, 2023
Toxic “forever chemicals” have been found in more than one in four public drinking water systems this year in concentrations at or above the Environmental Protection Agency’s minimum reporting levels.
That’s according to new EPA data released Thursday, showing hundreds of water systems have detected PFAS. Together, these systems provide drinking water to about 46 million people.
Per- and polyfluorinated alkyl substances, or PFAS, are a group of nearly indestructible chemicals that build up in the human body over time. They’ve been used widely for decades in nonstick and water-repellent household products, as well as industrial products.
One system included in the EPA’s data for the first time is in Augusta, Georgia, which detected six distinct PFAS contaminants. With industrial manufacturing, a major military base and a downtown factory that makes fire-retardant bricks, Augusta has multiple PFAS sources.
“There’s definitely things that do need to be improved, but there’s not, in our opinion, a health threat,” said Wes Byne, Augusta’s director of utilities. “Depending on who you talk to, the industry has tried to consider this (detection level) like a drop of water in the Rose Bowl.”
However, most of the PFAS detections in Augusta were well above the minimum levels at which the EPA requires communities to report. Georgia does not have binding maximum contaminant levels for the chemicals, and there are currently no enforceable national drinking water standards for PFAS. The technology needed to remove and destroy forever chemicals is costly – a major barrier for local water systems.
PFAS exposure has been linked to increased risk of cancer, as well as effects on the liver, immune system, cardiovascular system and human development, according to the EPA.
“When you look at that laundry list of health effects that have been linked to PFAS, it doesn’t mean you’re going to get that,” said Courtney Carignan, an exposure scientist and environmental epidemiologist at Michigan State University. “Everyone’s risk factors are different. But you can reduce your risk by reducing your exposure and getting your drinking water tested.”
Map: Where the EPA found pollutants
This map shows water systems included in the EPA's records, as of Nov. 9. It’s based on boundaries developed by SimpleLab, a water-testing company. Click on a system to see the number of pollutants detected at or above the EPA's minimum reporting levels and how much the most concentrated pollutant exceeded those levels. If you don't see a map, click here.
Yoonserk Pyun | USA TODAY
Of about 3,200 systems included so far, 854 measured at least one PFAS compound above the EPA’s reporting levels, according to a USA TODAY analysis of the data. That’s almost 27%, an increase from August’s update of the data.
USA TODAY’s analysis shows the chemicals have turned up in nearly every state, affecting water systems large and small.
Every five years, the EPA requires water systems to monitor for several unregulated pollutants. The current effort focuses on forever chemicals, and the EPA describes it as its most comprehensive PFAS monitoring initiative ever. Thursday's data release represents a small portion of the additional sample results that the agency expects to collect and publish over the next few years from every large and mid-size public water system in America, as well as hundreds of small systems.
“I think the more testing that will be done, the more contaminated water systems will be uncovered,” said Jamie DeWitt, director of the Environmental Health Sciences Center at Oregon State University.
Many of the systems that have already detected PFAS provide water to over a million customers each, including Atlanta, Houston, San Antonio, Dallas, Phoenix, Silver Spring, Maryland, San Jose, California, and Long Island, New York.
The new data show WSSC Water, which serves nearly 2 million Marylanders just outside Washington, D.C., discovered in June two types of PFAS exceeding the EPA’s reporting levels.
“The health impacts of the two detected PFAS compounds, PFHxA and PFPeA, are currently unknown and they are not included in the EPA's proposed regulation," wrote Lyn Riggins, WSSC Water spokesperson, in an emailed statement. “At this time, we have no information that suggests a concern related to these compounds.”
High costs hinder PFAS treatment upgrades
Riggins said WSSC Water would upgrade its treatment process to meet any new regulations on PFAS, but she added that the substantial cost of treatment upgrades should not be passed on to customers.
“We need to hold the entities causing PFAS to enter the environment financially responsible for removing their substances from water and wastewater,” Riggins wrote, noting that WSSC Water recently filed a lawsuit against 20 companies, including 3M and Dupont. “We must hold the polluters accountable.”
Byne, the utilities director in Augusta, said they’ve been weighing the costs versus the benefits of various options, from blending contaminated water with PFAS-free water to relocating wells to multimillion-dollar advanced treatment upgrades.
“We're trying to figure out, you know, what is the true risk? And then what does it mean for treatment in the long run?” Byne said.
Tonya Bonitatibus, a local riverkeeper and executive director for Savannah Riverkeeper, said residue from Augusta’s sewage treatment plant is also spread on farm fields as fertilizer. The wastewater treatment process doesn’t break down forever chemicals, leading to contaminated food crops and water supplies.
“Even today there isn’t any penalty for any of this,” Bonitatibus said.
This map shows water systems included in the EPA's records, as of Nov. 9. It’s based on boundaries developed by SimpleLab, a water-testing company. Click on a system to see the number of pollutants detected at or above the EPA's minimum reporting levels and how much the most concentrated pollutant exceeded those levels. If you don't see a map, click here.
Yoonserk Pyun | USA TODAY
Of about 3,200 systems included so far, 854 measured at least one PFAS compound above the EPA’s reporting levels, according to a USA TODAY analysis of the data. That’s almost 27%, an increase from August’s update of the data.
USA TODAY’s analysis shows the chemicals have turned up in nearly every state, affecting water systems large and small.
Every five years, the EPA requires water systems to monitor for several unregulated pollutants. The current effort focuses on forever chemicals, and the EPA describes it as its most comprehensive PFAS monitoring initiative ever. Thursday's data release represents a small portion of the additional sample results that the agency expects to collect and publish over the next few years from every large and mid-size public water system in America, as well as hundreds of small systems.
“I think the more testing that will be done, the more contaminated water systems will be uncovered,” said Jamie DeWitt, director of the Environmental Health Sciences Center at Oregon State University.
Many of the systems that have already detected PFAS provide water to over a million customers each, including Atlanta, Houston, San Antonio, Dallas, Phoenix, Silver Spring, Maryland, San Jose, California, and Long Island, New York.
The new data show WSSC Water, which serves nearly 2 million Marylanders just outside Washington, D.C., discovered in June two types of PFAS exceeding the EPA’s reporting levels.
“The health impacts of the two detected PFAS compounds, PFHxA and PFPeA, are currently unknown and they are not included in the EPA's proposed regulation," wrote Lyn Riggins, WSSC Water spokesperson, in an emailed statement. “At this time, we have no information that suggests a concern related to these compounds.”
High costs hinder PFAS treatment upgrades
Riggins said WSSC Water would upgrade its treatment process to meet any new regulations on PFAS, but she added that the substantial cost of treatment upgrades should not be passed on to customers.
“We need to hold the entities causing PFAS to enter the environment financially responsible for removing their substances from water and wastewater,” Riggins wrote, noting that WSSC Water recently filed a lawsuit against 20 companies, including 3M and Dupont. “We must hold the polluters accountable.”
Byne, the utilities director in Augusta, said they’ve been weighing the costs versus the benefits of various options, from blending contaminated water with PFAS-free water to relocating wells to multimillion-dollar advanced treatment upgrades.
“We're trying to figure out, you know, what is the true risk? And then what does it mean for treatment in the long run?” Byne said.
Tonya Bonitatibus, a local riverkeeper and executive director for Savannah Riverkeeper, said residue from Augusta’s sewage treatment plant is also spread on farm fields as fertilizer. The wastewater treatment process doesn’t break down forever chemicals, leading to contaminated food crops and water supplies.
“Even today there isn’t any penalty for any of this,” Bonitatibus said.
How can you reduce PFAS exposure?
The EPA recommends that anyone concerned about their drinking water quality contact their local provider to learn what efforts they’re taking to mitigate PFAS contamination. They also say people may want to consider installing in-home filtration systems that have been proven to remove the chemicals, including activated carbon and reverse osmosis systems.
“Try to find out if the water in your town has been tested,” Carignan said. “If you have a private well, try to get it tested. It can be difficult to know whether there’s a source of PFAS near you without testing.”
If cost is a barrier to that testing, some activists and companies offer free or low-cost in-home filtration systems for low-income households. There are also programs through court-enforceable orders in some affected communities that provide sampling for impacted residents. Those relying on private wells, which are not regulated in the U.S, should contact their state health department for testing options.
“People who live on wells tend to be those who aren’t as wealthy or might not be part of a majority population, so it raises some very real environmental justice concerns about who’s going to be carrying the burden of pollution,” DeWitt said.
Switching to bottled water might help reduce exposure, but it’s not a cure-all because bottled water isn’t regulated and might also contain PFAS, Carignan said. Some other ways to avoid exposure include not using nonstick cookware; purchasing water-resistant clothing instead of waterproof; and steering clear of grease-resistant food wrappers and containers, according to the D.C. Water and Sewer Authority.
Avoiding PFAS in products isn’t always easy, however, since labeling can be limited or misleading, Carignan said. But consumers can support companies that have pledged to go PFAS-free. The Green Science Policy Institute and the Environmental Working Group publish lists of products without harmful chemicals.
“This does give people at least leverage to make decisions,” DeWitt said. “Whereas if you don’t have the information, you can’t make decisions. Ignorance isn’t going to reduce your health risks.”
Forever chemicals: New report claims PFAS are sprayed onto fields and food in pesticides
Euronews Green
Thu, November 9, 2023
Forever chemicals: New report claims PFAS are sprayed onto fields and food in pesticides
Dozens of substances used in pesticides in Europe are ‘forever chemicals’, a new investigation reveals.
The stable door is slowly closing on PFAS - man-made per- or poly-fluorinated alkyl substances which persist in the environment for an incredibly long time.
The EU is set to restrict their use and phase them out with a review of its REACH regulation that governs chemicals. It is part of a promised ‘great detox’ on dangerous substances.
But this won’t apply to pesticides - and that’s a big problem, according to the NGOs Générations Futures and Pesticide Action Network (PAN) Europe.
“It is shocking to find that PFAS, with their long-lasting environmental impacts, are intentionally sprayed on fields and food,” says Angeliki Lysimachou, head of science and policy at PAN Europe. “Given all the identified risks, their use should stop immediately.”
A new joint report from the two NGOs has found that 37 active substances currently approved for use in pesticides are PFAS. That equates to 12 per cent of all approved synthetic substances.
Why are PFAS in pesticides a problem?
PFAS are a growing cause for public concern. Recent research has revealed shocking findings - such as the news that rainwater almost everywhere on Earth has unsafe levels of forever chemicals.
This pollution has many potential sources, from chemical manufacturing plants to firefighting foams.
Pesticides, however, appear to have gone under the radar. Many people are unaware that active ingredients in pesticides can be PFAS where they are used to keep them effective for longer.
The investigation dug deep into their use in France, where it found that 30 active substances currently authorised for use in pesticides were PFAS. The sales of these substances have more than tripled since 2008, reaching 2,332 tonnes in 2021.
Analysing authorisation documents for the 10 best-selling pesticides containing PFAS, the researchers found that the vast majority of these chemicals stick around in the environment.
Flufenacet and Diflufenican from Bayer are the top-selling substances, says PAN Europe, with German data from the Federal Office of Consumer Protection and Food Safety (BVL) suggesting the same dramatic growth in Germany.
There are concerns that they are contaminating groundwater in France. The NGOs are also sounding the alarm about possible ‘cocktail effects’ of mixing chemicals, which they claim are not being assessed - even though marketed products sometimes contain several different PFAS.
Will the EU ban PFAS in pesticides?
The EU is planning to restrict the use of so called forever chemicals in Europe, but PFAS pesticides have been excluded from the scope of this restriction. The main argument is that these substances are already covered and sufficiently regulated under the Pesticides Regulation, the NGOs say.
According to this regulation, pesticides authorised in the EU should cause no adverse effects to humans and no unacceptable effects on the environment. Despite this, the report reveals that harmful pesticides continue to get approved for use in the production of food.
“It is urgent to ban this source of PFAS pollution. These pesticides should be included in the PFAS restriction currently being prepared at European level,” argues Salomé Roynel, policy officer at PAN Europe.
“That will take time, so we immediately need a better implementation of the pesticide regulation. We propose to apply the precautionary principle required by law and ban all PFAS pesticides now.”
"The aim is to stop people and the environment being exposed to these forever pollutants. There should be no exception for pesticides," adds Pauline Cervan, toxicologist and project leader of Générations Futures.
The European Chemicals Agency (ECHA) and European Food Safety Association (EFSA) have been contacted for comment.
Wausau is doing the work to counter lead and PFAS. The Biden administration says others should do the same
Laura Schulte, Milwaukee Journal Sentinel
Updated Thu, November 9, 2023
WAUSAU - Biden Administration officials praised Wausau this week as an example of how to quickly and aggressively tackle water quality issues, after its work to remove lead pipes and filter "forever chemicals" from its water.
Wausau, under Mayor Katie Rosenberg, has spent several years aggressively seeking federal and state funding and grants to help finance the replacement of lead laterals running into homes and to install a nearly $17 million treatment plant to remove PFAS from the municipal water system.
Tom Perez, a senior advisor to President Joe Biden, visited the city Thursday to see the new water treatment facility and watch as a family turned on their water for the first time after having their lead pipes removed.
"I really think that mayors across not just Wisconsin, but across the country, are going to be calling the mayor of Wausau," Perez said. "To ask her how she did this and how can they can copy you."
Tom Perez, an advisor to President Joe Biden, center, tours the drinking water treatment facility in Wausau, Wis., on Thursday, Nov. 9, 2023. The city is building a new water treatment system to address PFAS and other “forever chemicals.” The $16.8 million treatment system will allow the city to run its drinking water through a series of carbon filters — known as granulated activated carbon, or GAC — effectively removing not only PFAS, but many other contaminants, according to Eric Lindman, the city's public works director.More
Wausau is set to receive about $5.8 million for lead service line replacements, which will speed up the replacement of the remaining 8,000 lead service lines. Instead of taking about 15 years, it will take six or seven.
Wisconsin is also one of four states participating in a federal lead accelerator program, giving Wausau access to greater resources through the program.
More: Wausau has 'forever chemicals' throughout its water system. What the city does next could set a blueprint for other cities
The program provides targeted technical assistance services to help communities better understand the grant application process when seeking money from the federal government to address lead laterals. The program is being run by the Environmental Protection Agency and the Department of Labor and will provide assistance to 40 communities across the country, including 10 in Wisconsin, including Wausau and Milwaukee.
Tom Perez, an advisor to President Joe Biden, joins Wausau Mayor Katie Rosenberg and Miles Guerrero, 3, during a media event Thursday, November 9, 2023 to turn on the water at the home of Miles’ great-grandmother. The home’s old water service line was replaced with a lead-free connection in Wausau, Wisconsin. Perez was in town to highlight actions taken by President Biden’s administration for clean drinking water.More
Lead poisoning can bring lifelong consequences, especially for young children. The Wisconsin Department of Health Services reported in 2018 that 9.2% of children age 5 or younger in Milwaukee have elevated blood lead levels.
That's why it's so important to address, Perez said.
"People take water for granted, and they shouldn't, because it should be a fundamental right that you move into a house or apartment or wherever you're living and turn on the water and you're not doing harm to yourself or your loved ones," Perez, the former chairman of the Democratic National Committee, said during a roundtable of water quality leaders in Wausau.
He said the funding secured for water infrastructure in particular has been huge, the largest since at least whewn Dwight D. Eisenhower was president in the 1950s.
"If you are in local government, the last two years and the coming two years are going to be the biggest moments of opportunity in your political lifetime," he said. "You will never have more opportunity because this president has invested more."
'We just need to keep this up'
Tom Perez, an advisor to President Joe Biden, center, examines corrosion control treatment testing while touring the drinking water treatment facility Thursday, November 9, 2023 in Wausau, Wisconsin. The city is building a new water treatment system to address PFAS and other “forever chemicals.” The $16.8 million treatment system will allow the city run its drinking water through a series of carbon filters — known as granulated activated carbon, or GAC — effectively removing not only PFAS, but many other contaminants, according to Eric Lindman, the city's public works director.More
Wausau has one of the most extensive PFAS contaminations in the state, with all of its drinking water wells impacted by the chemicals. To combat the issue, the city is working to install a granulated carbon filtration system, which is currently the best way to extract PFAS from water.
But that system comes at a steep cost to the city.
The city council recently approved borrowing $17.5 million to finance a treatment system that will be installed over the course of the next year. The city also distributed hundreds of thousands of dollars of bottled water and filtration pitchers to residents after the contamination was found in January 2022.
The city is set to receive more than $17 million in Emerging Contaminant funding from the federal government to address PFAS, which is greatly cutting down the amount that will fall to the city's taxpayers and water users.
Rosenberg has courted lawmakers at the state and federal level to help lock in funding so that ratepayers in Wausau didn't end up fronting the entire cost of the PFAS filtration system. That's helped the city secure the funding it needed, Perez said.
"Here in Wausau, the commitment has been made, and I'm confident they will reach it to eliminate PFAS here by October of 24." Perez said. "That's less than a year from now. That is a remarkable pace. But frankly, we need to make sure we were doing this everywhere."
More: Milwaukee to receive $30 million for lead service line replacement as part of statewide clean water push
Laura Schulte can be reached at leschulte@jrn.com and on X at @SchulteLaura.
This article originally appeared on Milwaukee Journal Sentinel: Biden advisor visit highlights Wausau to tout efforts on water quality
Opinion
Honoring Our Pact Act will help numerous Florida veterans exposed to chemicals
Stan Gottfredson
Florida Today
Fri, November 10, 2023
While service members face countless risks while serving their country, from permanent hearing loss to serious combat injuries, toxic exposure is a more insidious health threat for these brave people.
Today, over 700 military bases across the country are contaminated with perfluoroalky and polyfluoroalkyl substances, often dubbed PFAS or "forever chemicals" due to their ability to persist in the environment and the human body for a long time. Exposure to these dangerous agents is responsible for terrible health problems, including kidney and testicular cancer. Furthermore, PFAS exposure can result in high cholesterol, fertility issues, liver damage, thyroid disease, altered immune function, kidney disease, and preeclampsia in pregnant women.
The source of PFAS on military bases is firefighters and trainees using the fire suppressant AFFF, which contains between 50% and 98% of "forever chemicals."
Florida is home to 21 military bases, some from every branch of the military, and has a veteran population of 1,430,000. Two of these military bases with high levels of "forever chemicals" are right her in Brevard Coubnty. The first is Cape Canaveral. Founded in 1949 as Joint Long Range Proving Ground, the military installation has a PFAS concentration of 337,100 parts per trillion, exceeding the EPA's new safe exposure limit by 84,275 times. Because other toxic chemicals might have been used at Cape Canaveral in the past, the drinking water supply of North Brevard County now contains various contaminants over the safe exposure limit, including PFAS, but also trihalomethanes and arsenic.
Another military base in Florida with a tremendous "forever chemicals" level is Patrick Space Force Base.
Firefighting foam used for decades by the U.S. military, and still allowed for use today, is now known to contain dangerous “forever chemicals” that have leached into groundwater and municipal water systems across the U.S.
Established in 1940, the military facility has a PFAS concentration in the environment of 4,338,000 parts per trillion, eclipsing the safe exposure limit by a whopping 1,084,500 times. Until recently, veterans injured by toxic exposure at military bases had limited options when it came to accessing VA benefits such as healthcare and disability compensation. However, on August 10, 2022, the Honoring Our PACT Act was signed into law by President Joe Biden, enabling over five million service members and veterans whose health was impacted by toxic exposure to access the VA benefits they deserve with more ease.
More: New data shows 'forever chemicals' in Mims, Titusville drinking water
"For the millions of veterans who may have been exposed to harmful toxins, this bill means quicker access to health care services and other benefits. This could be the difference between life and death for many suffering from toxic related illnesses," President Biden said.
The Honoring Our PACT Act is perhaps the largest healthcare and benefit expansion in VA history. It expands and extends the eligibility requirements for veterans exposed to toxic agents during active duty, adds over 20 new presumptive conditions for these veterans, and requires the VA to provide a toxic exposure screening to each veteran enrolled in its healthcare system.
Stan Gottfredson is President and CEO at Atraxia Law, a paralegal firm assisting veterans affected by toxic exposure at military bases nationwide so they can file a claim to obtain compensation.
The presumptive diagnoses for which veterans can now apply for VA benefits include brain cancer, pulmonary fibrosis, emphysema, kidney cancer, and interstitial lung disease. Moreover, the new legislative package will help the VA improve research, staff education, and treatment related to toxic exposure impacting service members and veterans. By virtue of the Honoring Our PACT Act, we might witness a decrease in the rate of premature deaths among veterans, who often cannot afford the treatment they need for diseases related to toxic exposure.
Stan Gottfredson is President and CEO at Atraxia Law, a paralegal firm assisting veterans affected by toxic exposure at military bases nationwide so they can file a claim to obtain compensation.
This article originally appeared on Florida Today: Honoring Our Pact Act helps Florida veterans exposed to chemicals
Fri, November 10, 2023
While service members face countless risks while serving their country, from permanent hearing loss to serious combat injuries, toxic exposure is a more insidious health threat for these brave people.
Today, over 700 military bases across the country are contaminated with perfluoroalky and polyfluoroalkyl substances, often dubbed PFAS or "forever chemicals" due to their ability to persist in the environment and the human body for a long time. Exposure to these dangerous agents is responsible for terrible health problems, including kidney and testicular cancer. Furthermore, PFAS exposure can result in high cholesterol, fertility issues, liver damage, thyroid disease, altered immune function, kidney disease, and preeclampsia in pregnant women.
The source of PFAS on military bases is firefighters and trainees using the fire suppressant AFFF, which contains between 50% and 98% of "forever chemicals."
Florida is home to 21 military bases, some from every branch of the military, and has a veteran population of 1,430,000. Two of these military bases with high levels of "forever chemicals" are right her in Brevard Coubnty. The first is Cape Canaveral. Founded in 1949 as Joint Long Range Proving Ground, the military installation has a PFAS concentration of 337,100 parts per trillion, exceeding the EPA's new safe exposure limit by 84,275 times. Because other toxic chemicals might have been used at Cape Canaveral in the past, the drinking water supply of North Brevard County now contains various contaminants over the safe exposure limit, including PFAS, but also trihalomethanes and arsenic.
Another military base in Florida with a tremendous "forever chemicals" level is Patrick Space Force Base.
Firefighting foam used for decades by the U.S. military, and still allowed for use today, is now known to contain dangerous “forever chemicals” that have leached into groundwater and municipal water systems across the U.S.
Established in 1940, the military facility has a PFAS concentration in the environment of 4,338,000 parts per trillion, eclipsing the safe exposure limit by a whopping 1,084,500 times. Until recently, veterans injured by toxic exposure at military bases had limited options when it came to accessing VA benefits such as healthcare and disability compensation. However, on August 10, 2022, the Honoring Our PACT Act was signed into law by President Joe Biden, enabling over five million service members and veterans whose health was impacted by toxic exposure to access the VA benefits they deserve with more ease.
More: New data shows 'forever chemicals' in Mims, Titusville drinking water
"For the millions of veterans who may have been exposed to harmful toxins, this bill means quicker access to health care services and other benefits. This could be the difference between life and death for many suffering from toxic related illnesses," President Biden said.
The Honoring Our PACT Act is perhaps the largest healthcare and benefit expansion in VA history. It expands and extends the eligibility requirements for veterans exposed to toxic agents during active duty, adds over 20 new presumptive conditions for these veterans, and requires the VA to provide a toxic exposure screening to each veteran enrolled in its healthcare system.
Stan Gottfredson is President and CEO at Atraxia Law, a paralegal firm assisting veterans affected by toxic exposure at military bases nationwide so they can file a claim to obtain compensation.
The presumptive diagnoses for which veterans can now apply for VA benefits include brain cancer, pulmonary fibrosis, emphysema, kidney cancer, and interstitial lung disease. Moreover, the new legislative package will help the VA improve research, staff education, and treatment related to toxic exposure impacting service members and veterans. By virtue of the Honoring Our PACT Act, we might witness a decrease in the rate of premature deaths among veterans, who often cannot afford the treatment they need for diseases related to toxic exposure.
Stan Gottfredson is President and CEO at Atraxia Law, a paralegal firm assisting veterans affected by toxic exposure at military bases nationwide so they can file a claim to obtain compensation.
This article originally appeared on Florida Today: Honoring Our Pact Act helps Florida veterans exposed to chemicals
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