HEALTH THREAT
Survey finds toxic PFAS in state water samples.
Testing done on Pennsylvania’s public water systems found contamination by toxic PFAS — one of the so-called “forever chemicals” that pose a growing health threat — in at least a quarter of the water samples from 412 sites.
The state Department of Environmental Protection issued a release saying the findings “do not indicate widespread PFAS contamination,” and contamination found was mostly at low levels.
But that conclusion is at odds with other recent studies, including a nationwide review by Consumer Reports, that found nearly every tap water sample tested contained measurable levels of PFAS, and even minute levels of PFAS contamination can cause adverse health impacts.
“Sampling allows us to gain a better understanding of the prevalence of PFAS within the Commonwealth,” DEP Secretary Patrick McDonnell stated in a news release. “These results will help us determine how to further address this emerging environmental issue, including developing an appropriate metric to remediate and protect our public water systems.”
The DEP announced the test results Thursday, based on sampling that began in June 2019 then was suspended due to the COVID-19 pandemic and resumed in August 2020. Sample collection was completed in March 2021.
The water sampling resulted from Gov. Tom Wolf’s September 2018 executive order, which
established a PFAS Action Team and authorized proactive steps to address problem PFAS and other contaminants.
Known as forever chemicals because they do not easily break down, are persistent in the environment and accumulate in the human body, PFAS, or per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances, are a group of more than a dozen manmade compounds used since the 1940s as fire suppressants and in a wide variety of industrial and household products.
Studies show an association between exposure to PFAS and PFOS, or polyfluoroalkyl, and immunotoxicity, cancer, thyroid disease, birth defects and decreased sperm quality. PFAS exposure can reduce the immune response to childhood vaccines and can make people more vulnerable to COVID-19.
Because of health concerns, the use and manufacture of PFOS and PFOA ( perfluoroalkyl) were phased out more than a decade ago, but exposure to the ubiquitous class of chemical compounds can occur through food, water, consumer products like cookware, cosmetics, carpets and rugs, and contaminated soil, dust and air.
The compounds are so pervasive that studies reported by the American Association for the Advancement of Science found that 97% of Americans have trace amounts of the chemicals in their blood.
The DEP said it collected samples from 372 public water system sites within a half-mile of potential PFAS sites, including airports, military bases, firefighter training sites, landfills and manufacturing facilities, plus another 40 sites outside those areas to establish a baseline. An independent accredited laboratory analyzed the water samples for 18 PFAS chemicals, only eight of which were detected.
Of the PFAS chemicals sampled, PFOS and PFOA were most common, detected at 103 and 112 sites respectively, the DEP stated in its release.
The DEP did not sample Pittsburgh’s water, but the Pittsburgh Water and Sewer Authority has regularly tested for PFAS in both its treated water and its Allegheny River water source since 2018.
Samples taken in August 2019 did not identify quantifiable levels of PFAS, according to the PWSA webpage.
The DEP also did not sample water from the Pennsylvania American Water Co. supply area in Allegheny and Washington counties.
Sampled sites in Allegheny County included the Coraopolis Water and Sewer Authority, the Moon Township Municipal Authority, the Hampton-Shaler Water Authority and the Oakmont Water Authority.
The Coraopolis and Moon samples show low levels of PFOS.
There are no enforceable, regulatory exposure limits for PFAS chemicals, but the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency has established a health advisory that sets a voluntary combined limit for PFOA and PFOS of 70 parts per trillion.
Only two of the more than 400 DEP water samples contained samples at concentrations above the EPA health advisory level: the State of the Art Inc. site in Centre County and Saegertown Borough in Crawford County.
But some scientists say to protect human health the combined limit for PFOA and PFOS should be less than 10 parts per billion. Sixty-one of the sites sampled by the DEP exceeded that limit.
There are also recent studies that show adverse health effects from PFAS in concentrations as low as 1 or 2 parts per trillion, said Michael McCauley, senior scientist with Consumer Reports.
The EPA 70 parts per billion advisory is based on old and outdated data, he said.
“A 10 parts per billion limit is actually quite generous given the findings of newer studies,” said Mr. McCauley. “Ideally, for health, it should be much lower.”
The DEP did not respond to questions about why its sampling found little PFAS contamination but said in its release it has taken steps to identify and address contamination and establish a cleanup plan that will address PFAS contamination in Pennsylvania.
The department is also beginning a process to set a maximum contaminant level for PFAS. If it follows through, it would be the first time the state has set such a limit instead of adopting standards set by the federal government.
The DEP is also spending more than $20 million in grants to address PFAS groundwater contamination.
Mr. McCauley said the Biden administration is pushing legislation introduced in April to set strict standards for PFAS exposure.
The PFAS Action Act of 2021, introduced in April, would label PFOA and PFOS as hazardous substances and mandate the cleanup of sites contaminated with PFAS chemicals.
He said a food packaging bill will be introduced soon along with legislation setting health-based limits for PFAS in water, and funding to clean up contaminated sites.