70 million Americans drink water from systems reporting PFAS to EPA. Is yours on our map?

By Austin Fast, Cecilia Garzella, and Yoonserk Pyun | USA Today | March 22, 2024

Read the full article by Austin Fast, Cecilia Garzella, and Yoonserk Pyun (USA Today)

“At least 70 million Americans get their water from a system where toxic PFAS ‘forever chemicals’ were found at levels that require reporting to the Environmental Protection Agency.

That’s according to new data the EPA released in its ongoing 5-year review of water systems across the nation. The number will almost certainly grow as new reports are released every three months.

PFAS, or per- and polyfluorinated alkyl substances, are nearly indestructible chemicals widely used across industries for decades. Found in drinking water, food, firefighting foam, and nonstick and water-repellent items, PFAS resist degradation, building up in both the environment and our bodies.

Salt Lake City; Sacramento, California; Madison, Wisconsin; and Louisville, Kentucky, were among the major systems reporting PFAS contamination to the EPA in the latest data release.”

This content provided by the PFAS Project.