The EPA is responsible for identifying maximum contaminant levels (MCLs) to regulate drinking water, as outlined in the Safe Drinking Water Act. As of June 2020, there are no federal regulations on the maximum levels of PFAS allowed in drinking water. The EPA has established a non-enforceable health advisory level of 70 parts per trillion (ppt) for the sum of PFOA and PFOS. Health advisories are non-regulatory and provide technical information to state agencies and other public health officials on health effects, analytical methodologies, and treatment technologies associated with drinking water contamination. The EPA is working toward determining future PFAS regulations; visit the agency’s webpage on EPA Actions to Address PFAS to learn more. In the absence of federal limits, states such as California have established their own regulatory limits on PFAS. In the state of California, the state Department of Drinking Water has established notification levels of 6.5 ppt for PFOS and 5.1 ppt for PFOA, and response levels of 10 ppt for PFOA and 40 ppt for PFOS . Other states such as Arizona currently rely solely upon the EPA health advisory level to assess and determine necessary actions related to PFOA and PFOS.

Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) are a group of man-made chemicals that includes PFOA, PFOS, GenX, and many other chemicals. PFAS have been manufactured and used in a variety of industries around the globe, including in the United States since the 1940s. PFOA and PFOS have been the most extensively produced and studied of these chemicals. Both chemicals are very persistent in the environment and in the human body – meaning they don’t break down and they can accumulate over time. There is evidence that exposure to PFAS can lead to adverse human health effects. PFAS can be found in: Food packaged in PFAS-containing materials, processed with equipment that used PFAS, or grown in PFAS-contaminated soil or water. Commercial household products , including stain- and water-repellent fabrics, nonstick products (e.g., Teflon), polishes, waxes, paints, cleaning products, and fire-fighting foams (a major source of groundwater contamination at airports and military bases where firefighting training occurs). Workplace , including production facilities or industries (e.g., chrome plating, electronics manufacturing or oil recovery) that use PFAS. Drinking water , typically localized and associated with a specific facility (e.g., manufacturer, landfill, wastewater treatment plant, firefighter training facility). Living organisms , including fish, animals and humans, where PFAS have the ability to build up and persist over time. Certain PFAS chemicals are no longer manufactured in the United States as a result of phase-outs, including the PFOA Stewardship Program in which eight major chemical manufacturers agreed to eliminate the use of PFOA and PFOA-related chemicals in their products and as emissions from their facilities. Although PFOA and PFOS are no longer manufactured in the United States, they are still produced internationally and can be imported into the United States in consumer goods such as carpet, leather and apparel, textiles, paper and packaging, coatings, rubber and plastics. (Information from EPA Basic Information on PFAS webpage)

FAQs | Civiltec Engineering, Inc.

Q: How can PFAS be removed from drinking water?

Multiple technologies have proven capable of removing PFAS from drinking water, including the following list of treatments proven as effective by the EPA: Granular Activated Carbon (GAC) – Chemicals like PFAS stick to the small pieces of carbon as the water passes through. Powdered Activated Carbon (PAC) – The carbon is powdered and is added to the water. The chemicals then stick to the powdered carbon as the water passes through. Ion Exchange Resins – Small beads (called resins) are made of hydrocarbons that work like magnets. The chemicals stick to the beads and are removed as the water passes through. Nanofiltration and Reverse Osmosis – A process where water is pushed through a membrane with small pores. The membrane acts like a wall that can stop chemicals and particles from passing into drinking water. (List from the EPA’s Treating PFAS in Drinking Water webpage)

Q: Why are PFAS important?

PFAS are found in a wide range of consumer products that people use daily such as cookware, pizza boxes and stain repellents. Most people have been exposed to PFAS. Certain PFAS can accumulate and stay in the human body for long periods of time. There is evidence that exposure to PFAS can lead to adverse health outcomes in humans. The most-studied PFAS chemicals are PFOA and PFOS. Studies indicate that PFOA and PFOS can cause reproductive and developmental, liver and kidney, and immunological effects in laboratory animals. Both chemicals have caused tumors in animals. The most consistent findings are increased cholesterol levels among exposed populations, with more limited findings related to: low infant birth weights, effects on the immune system, cancer (for PFOA), and thyroid hormone disruption (for PFOS). (Information from EPA Basic Information on PFAS webpage)

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