New Study Finds Hazardous Chemicals In US Tap Water

A glass of water is always a satisfying way to quench your thirst, but if you drink tap water, you may want to consider investing in a good filter. A new study published by the US Geological Survey (USGS) has revealed some disturbing findings about the quality of our drinking water in America: Almost half of our supply has traces of harmful "forever chemicals."

To conduct their study, the USGS took tap water samples from 716 locations over the course of 2016-2021 and measured the amount of "forever chemicals," also known scientifically as per- and polyfluorinated alkyl substances (PFAS), contained within the water supply. In addition to measuring the amount of these chemicals currently present in the sample, the study also sought to determine any changes in the quantity over time, as well as the potential sources of the contamination. USGS reports that it's the most broad study done to date to measure PFAS in drinking water.

The result shows that there are traces of these chemicals in at least 45% of the samples studied, with amounts similarly found in both regulated public water supply and unregulated private wells. Furthermore, geography came into play, with "forever chemicals" found to be most prevalent in drinking water from urban and large manufacturing areas, with the most affected spots including the Great Plains, the Great Lakes, northeastern states, central and southern California, and Puerto Rico.

Per- and polyfluorinated alkyl substances (PFAS) are more commonly referred to as "forever chemicals" because they belong to a family of compounds that does not easily disintegrate over time and may linger in substances like water. According to the National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences (NIH), they are synthetic chemicals that have large molecular structures and are manufactured by bonding carbon and fluorine. The extremely strong bond between the two elements means PFAs aren't able to break down easily like other chemicals and can lead to prolonged exposure.

PFAS then can enter our bodies through normal activities, such as drinking contaminated water, breathing polluted air, and using consumer products known to contain them; the list includes many items that prevent the effect of sticking or are considered stain-resistant, and can include cookware, food packaging, carpet cleaners, and firefighting foam.

Although the NIH states that it's difficult to accurately ascertain the effects of these chemicals on human health due to the many variations of PFAS, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has linked "forever chemicals" to a range of serious health issues, ranging from obesity to increased risk of cancer, thyroid disease, and decreased fertility.

If you are concerned about substances in your water, you can look up the water quality report from your local utility. In the meantime, you can also consider other filtered water options, such as sink filtration systems, single-use water bottles, or boxed water as an environmentally-friendly alternative to plastics.