• Latest
  • Trending
  • All
  • News
  • Lifestyle
2 ways of knowing if there are PFAS in your drinking water thumbnail

2 ways of knowing if there are PFAS in your drinking water

September 19, 2023
Crypto Clash: Warren Flags Economic Risk, CZ Defends Industry thumbnail

Crypto Clash: Warren Flags Economic Risk, CZ Defends Industry

July 18, 2025
Democrats push for vote on Epstein files thumbnail

Democrats push for vote on Epstein files

July 16, 2025
Nor'easters slamming New England are growing more powerful thumbnail

Nor’easters slamming New England are growing more powerful

July 16, 2025
10 Disaster Movies That Actually Get Some Science Right thumbnail

10 Disaster Movies That Actually Get Some Science Right

July 14, 2025
Trump threatens 35% tariffs on Canadian goods thumbnail

Trump threatens 35% tariffs on Canadian goods

July 13, 2025
Superman the Immigrant Would Have Saved Texas thumbnail

Superman the Immigrant Would Have Saved Texas

July 12, 2025
Iowa Democrats plot 2028 comeback for caucuses in race for president thumbnail

Iowa Democrats plot 2028 comeback for caucuses in race for president

July 11, 2025
Lionel Messi Makes MLS History with 4th Straight Multi-Goal Game in Inter Miami Win thumbnail

Lionel Messi Makes MLS History with 4th Straight Multi-Goal Game in Inter Miami Win

July 10, 2025
Do tech executives in US Army present conflict of interest? thumbnail

Do tech executives in US Army present conflict of interest?

July 10, 2025
A Vermont dairy farm was raided. The mixed messages from Washington since then have increased fears. thumbnail

A Vermont dairy farm was raided. The mixed messages from Washington since then have increased fears.

July 8, 2025
Former Rams Assistant Gives Inside Look at Houston Texans Offense thumbnail

Former Rams Assistant Gives Inside Look at Houston Texans Offense

July 7, 2025
‘Alligator Alcatraz’ Detention Center Poses Serious Risks to Immigrants Beyond Just Alligators thumbnail

‘Alligator Alcatraz’ Detention Center Poses Serious Risks to Immigrants Beyond Just Alligators

July 7, 2025
  • About
  • Advertise
  • Privacy & Policy
  • Contact
  • Donate
Saturday, July 19, 2025
66 °f
Wellfleet
58 ° Tue
63 ° Wed
68 ° Thu
61 ° Fri
  • Login
  • Register
FREE Cape Cod News
DONATE
  • FREE Cape Cod News
  • Cape Cod News
  • News
    • News
    • Massachusetts
    • Breaking News
    • Cape Cod Weather
    • Storm Watch
    • Environment
  • Politics
    • democrats
    • republicans
  • Business
    • business
    • cryptocurrency
    • economy
    • money
    • Real Estate
    • Tech
  • World
  • Entertainment
  • Lifestyle
  • Photos
    • Orleans
    • Eastham
    • Wellfleet
    • Truro
    • Provincetown
    • Brewster
    • Chatham
  • Videos
No Result
View All Result
Free Cape Cod News
No Result
View All Result
  • FREE Cape Cod News
  • Cape Cod News
  • News
  • Politics
  • Business
  • World
  • Entertainment
  • Lifestyle
  • Photos
  • Videos
Home Lifestyle Nature

2 ways of knowing if there are PFAS in your drinking water

FREE Cape Cod News by FREE Cape Cod News
September 19, 2023
in Nature, News
Reading Time: 3 mins read
Donate
0
2 ways of knowing if there are PFAS in your drinking water thumbnail
634
SHARES
1.4k
VIEWS
Share on TwitterShare on Facebook

Ever since the US started churning out per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) in the 1940s, these long-lived toxic chemicals have been accumulating everywhere humans have trodden.

Since then, these compounds have leached from industrial facilities and trash systems into our waterways, making our drinking supply one of the main ways forever chemicals are getting into our bodies.

If you’re now eyeing your glass of water suspiciously, know that there are steps you can take to find out if there are PFAS in that H2O, and lower the risk of exposure for you and your family.

Your water might have PFAS

Between 2016 and 2021, the US Geological Survey sampled the water from 716 different taps across the country and found that an estimated 45 percent of tested sites contained at least one kind of forever chemical. The study is the broadest of its kind in the US, making its main finding the best risk estimate we have for PFAS contamination in our drinking water.

While efforts to regulate these chemicals are gaining traction, there is no federal mandate limiting the amount of PFAS in our drinking supply. In March, the Environmental Protection Agency proposed a nationwide enforceable limit of four parts per trillion for each of the six types of PFAS in our drinking water. But while the EPA weighs public comments on the bill, millions of people might still exposed to these persistent pollutants, as not all public water systems in the country are required to monitor and remove them.

[Related: ‘Forever chemicals’ detected in paper and plastic straws]

Even if the EPA’s proposal succeeds, imposing legal PFAS limits doesn’t necessarily mean our water will be safe to drink. For example, the EPA’s maximum contaminant level goal for perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA) and perfluorooctane sulfonic acid (PFOS), the most notorious cancer-causing PFAS, is zero.

For these two compounds, “there’s no known safe level,” says Kelly Smalling, a USGS environmental chemist and lead author of the national tap water study.

Researchers are still looking into how forever chemicals impact our health and how to efficiently dispose of them. This is particularly important because there are vast geographical areas in the US where PFAS levels are high enough to pose a health risk over time, but low enough to make it hard to remove them from the environment.

By understanding the risk of PFAS exposure in your drinking water, you can find the best prevention strategy to mitigate it accordingly.

Know thy water source

The easiest step in understanding your risk of PFAS exposure is knowing where you get your water from, says Jamie DeWitt, a pharmacologist at East Carolina University. If it comes from a public supply, you have it easier than those getting their H2O from private wells, as utility companies have to regularly test for contaminants and report the results to the public.

The Environmental Working Group, an advocacy non-profit, has a nifty online tap water database that shows the servicing utility and contaminants detected where you live—just search using your zip code. You can also use this platform to gather information before you talk to your public water provider, which the EPA encourages you to do. If you find high PFAS levels in your water supply, DeWitt recommends you reach out and find out what your utility company is doing to reduce them.

There’s a caveat, though—the data included in the EWG’s database are of contaminants tested by and at the utility plant, which are a few steps removed from the actual amount that you might imbibe at ho

Read More

Tags: naturesciencewater

FREE Digital Newspaper Subscription!
Sign up for your free digital subscription. The FREE Cape Cod News

Unsubscribe
FREE Cape Cod News

FREE Cape Cod News

Free Cape Cod News is what's happening in the Cape Cod, U.S and World & what people are talking about right now. Local newspaper. Stay in the know. Subscribe to get notified about our latest news.

Related Posts

Crypto Clash: Warren Flags Economic Risk, CZ Defends Industry thumbnail
Business

Crypto Clash: Warren Flags Economic Risk, CZ Defends Industry

by FREE Cape Cod News
July 18, 2025
Democrats push for vote on Epstein files thumbnail
News

Democrats push for vote on Epstein files

by FREE Cape Cod News
July 16, 2025
Nor'easters slamming New England are growing more powerful thumbnail
News

Nor’easters slamming New England are growing more powerful

by FREE Cape Cod News
July 16, 2025
Trump threatens 35% tariffs on Canadian goods thumbnail
News

Trump threatens 35% tariffs on Canadian goods

by FREE Cape Cod News
July 13, 2025
Load More
Please login to join discussion

Follow Us on Twitter

FREE Cape Cod News - Your source for local Cape Cod news, latest breaking U.S. and World news. Every day, all day. Subscribe for your favorite categories.

  • Trending
  • Comments
  • Latest
Drinking and Boating in Massachusetts. Free Cape Cod News.

Drinking and Boating in Massachusetts

July 23, 2023
People on the beach, Cape Cod, Massachusetts

Exploring the Nuances: Debunking Cape Cod’s Overrated Reputation

May 29, 2023
Biden: Americans with long-COVID symptoms may qualify for disability resources thumbnail

Biden: Americans with long-COVID symptoms may qualify for disability resources

July 27, 2021
Crypto Clash: Warren Flags Economic Risk, CZ Defends Industry thumbnail

Crypto Clash: Warren Flags Economic Risk, CZ Defends Industry

0
Nor'easters slamming New England are growing more powerful thumbnail

Nor’easters slamming New England are growing more powerful

0
Democrats push for vote on Epstein files thumbnail

Democrats push for vote on Epstein files

0
Crypto Clash: Warren Flags Economic Risk, CZ Defends Industry thumbnail

Crypto Clash: Warren Flags Economic Risk, CZ Defends Industry

July 18, 2025
Democrats push for vote on Epstein files thumbnail

Democrats push for vote on Epstein files

July 16, 2025
Nor'easters slamming New England are growing more powerful thumbnail

Nor’easters slamming New England are growing more powerful

July 16, 2025

FREE Cape Cod News On Twitter

Today’s News

  • Crypto Clash: Warren Flags Economic Risk, CZ Defends Industry July 18, 2025
  • Democrats push for vote on Epstein files July 16, 2025
  • Nor’easters slamming New England are growing more powerful July 16, 2025
  • 10 Disaster Movies That Actually Get Some Science Right July 14, 2025
  • Trump threatens 35% tariffs on Canadian goods July 13, 2025
FREE Cape Cod News

Copyright © 2024 Free Cape Cod News

Navigate Site

  • About
  • Advertise
  • Privacy & Policy
  • Contact
  • Donate

Follow Us

Welcome Back!

Login to your account below

Forgotten Password? Sign Up

Create New Account!

Fill the forms below to register

All fields are required. Log In

Retrieve your password

Please enter your username or email address to reset your password.

Log In

Add New Playlist

No Result
View All Result
  • FREE Cape Cod News
  • Cape Cod News
  • News
    • News
    • Massachusetts
    • Breaking News
    • Cape Cod Weather
    • Storm Watch
    • Environment
  • Politics
    • democrats
    • republicans
  • Business
    • business
    • cryptocurrency
    • economy
    • money
    • Real Estate
    • Tech
  • World
  • Entertainment
  • Lifestyle
  • Photos
    • Orleans
    • Eastham
    • Wellfleet
    • Truro
    • Provincetown
    • Brewster
    • Chatham
  • Videos
  • Login
  • Sign Up

Copyright © 2024 Free Cape Cod News