Protect public from ‘forever chemicals’
The federal government took a major step toward protecting the public health last week when it moved to remove six synthetic chemicals from the nation’s water supply. The so-called “forever chemicals” can be found in the tap water — and bloodstreams — of hundreds of millions of Americans. Removing them will require a large investment of time and money. But given the dangers they pose, it’s an investment that must be made.
“These chemicals didn’t even exist before the 1940s and now they contaminate water worldwide and are in the blood of every American that has been tested,” Laura Spark, environmental health program director at Massachusetts Clean Water Action, told the State House News Service.
The move by the Environmental Protection Agency will require that municipal governments reduce perfluoroalkyl and polyfluoroalkyl substances, otherwise known as PFAS, to near-zero levels. They must also inform the public of the level of PFAS in their drinking water.
PFAS are ubiquitous in daily life. They are used in nonstick cookware, food packaging, children’s toys, carpets, leather goods, ski wax, firefighting foams and dental floss, just to name a few items. A 2023 government study found the chemicals in almost
the tap water in the country.
The substances don’t break down entirely in the environment and leach into groundwater. Longtime exposure has been linked to thyroid disease, fertility issues, developmental delays in children, and an increased rate of some prostate, kidney and testicular cancers.
So the move by the EPA is welcome. But there still is much work to be done, including figuring out how to pay for needed upgrades. The agency estimates that between 6% and 10% of the 66,000 public drinking water systems subject to its regulations will need to take action to meet the new standards. Removing the chemicals from the nation’s water supply will come at a massive cost.
“This could mean installing and maintaining treatment technologies to remove PFAS or finding uncontaminated sources of water,” the EPA said in a statement. “To find resources to make these investments, water systems and local officials will need to consider all available funding options, including federal grant and loan dollars, other capital sources, and in some cases by raising rates paid by customers.”
There will likely be more changes on the horizon. Or at least, there should be. While the EPA has successfully targeted these six PFAS, the plastics industry has developed more than 14,000 others that have not been fully tested.
It’s clear the important work has just begun.