Discussions about access to clean and safe drinking water have been on the rise, due to the recent government actions to regulate Per- and poly-fluoroalkyl substances (PFAS). Various steps have been taken by the Biden-Harris administration to address the contamination and presence of these harmful chemicals in our environment and the human body.
What Are PFAS?
Per- and poly-fluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) are a group of man-made chemicals that have been used in several industries around the globe since the 1940s. These chemicals are also known as “forever chemicals” since they don’t break down easily, are durable and last for hundreds or thousands of years in the environment.
At present PFAS are used in many of our daily use items such as makeup products, non-stick pans, water-repellent clothing, medical devices and even in food packaging. Their presence in the environment and the human body has raised health concerns globally.
New Government Regulations
The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has taken a major step, by setting the first national drinking water standards for five kinds of PFAS chemicals – PFOA, PFOS, PFNA, PFHxS and HFPO-DA.
The aim behind this landmark decision is to reduce the presence of chemicals in our water to very low levels. The limit for two common types of PFAS, PFOA and PFOS has been set to 4 parts per trillion (ppt), which means that now water companies will have to strictly monitor and reduce PFAS levels to meet these new standards.
Health Risks of PFAS
Exposure to PFAS has been strongly linked to several health issues such as cancer, liver damage, decreased fertility, elevated cholesterol levels, developmental issues in children and problems with the immune system. As these health problems have been on the rise in the USA, the government has decided to enforce strict regulations on PFAS presence in drinking water to protect the American population from these potential health risks.
Impact on Communities
With this new rule, people across America will be safer from these toxic “forever chemicals” and polluters will be held accountable for causing PFAS pollution. The EPA will work with the state co-regulators and local officials to provide water systems and implement this rule. To help the communities understand the PFAS drinking water regulation better, EPA will host some webinars. They have already published a toolkit of communications resources to facilitate community leaders to educate the public about PFAS exposure, associated health risks and this new rule.
All these new regulations will provide increased safety and transparency about the water we consume. Water companies will have to work actively to monitor and reduce their PFAS levels to ensure that they are in compliance with these new standards.
How CGC Water Can Help
Given the health risks that these chemicals pose to humans, it is crucial to do PFAS water testing and invest in a quality water filtration system to safeguard the health and well-being of your loved ones.
Visit CGC Water to explore our wide range of advanced water filtration systems that are built to remove contaminants, including PFAS from your water, ensuring that you have a consistent flow of clean, pure and safe water.
