Per- and Polyfluoroalkyl Substances (PFAS) in Drinking Water

Consistent with EPA’s mission and responsibility to protect public health, EPA is issuing these interim health advisories for PFOA and PFOS to help inform the public of new scientific information on these chemicals’ health effects.

EPA continues to conduct extensive evaluations of human epidemiological and experimental animal study data to support the development of a National Primary Drinking Water Regulation for PFOA and PFOS. In November 2021, EPA released draft updated health effects analyses for PFOA and PFOS; these analyses are undergoing Science Advisory Board (SAB) review. EPA evaluated over 400 peer-reviewed studies published since 2016 and used new approaches, tools, and models to identify and evaluate the information.

Based on the new data and draft analyses, the levels at which negative health effects could occur are much lower than previously understood when EPA issued the 2016 Health Advisories for PFOA and PFOS (70 ppt) – including near zero for certain health effects.

In light of this new information, including peer-reviewed scientific studies, EPA also announced in November 2021 that the agency would move quickly to update the 2016 Health Advisories for PFOA and PFOS to reflect the new science and draft EPA analyses. To deliver on this commitment, EPA is issuing interim updated health advisories based on the draft 2021 analyses that are undergoing review by the SAB. The interim health advisories replace the 2016 final health advisories for PFOA and PFOS. EPA is working hard to review and respond to the draft SAB comments as the agency moves forward to develop Maximum Contaminant Level Goals (MCLGs) to support the development of a National Primary Drinking Water Regulation for PFOA and PFOS. At that time, EPA may update or remove the interim health advisories for PFOA and PFOS based on the best available science. Because the available health effects data indicate a number of different adverse effects resulting from exposure to very low levels of PFOA or PFOS, the health-based water values (health advisories and MCLGs) are likely to remain below the detection limit.

If you are concerned about PFAS in your drinking water, EPA recommends you contact your local water utility to learn more about your drinking water and to see whether they have monitoring data for PFAS or can provide any specific recommendations for your community.

If you own a home drinking water well, EPA recommends learning more about how to protect and maintain your well for all contaminants of concern. For information on home drinking water wells visit: www.epa.gov/safewater.

Additionally, if you are concerned about levels of PFAS found in your drinking water, consider actions that may reduce your exposure including installing a home or point of use filter or using an alternative water source, if possible, while steps are being taken to further understand levels of concern and potentially regulate PFAS at the national level.

The lower the levels of PFOA and PFOS, the lower the risk. This means that while PFOA and PFOS may be present in drinking water in trace concentrations that cannot be measured, water provided by these systems that test but do not detect PFOA or PFOS is of lower risk than if they are found at measurable levels.

EPA recommends that public water systems that find PFOA or PFOS in their drinking water take steps to inform customers, undertake additional sampling to assess the level, scope, and source of contamination, and examine steps to limit exposure. While water systems may not be able to eliminate all risks from PFOA and PFOS, they can successfully reduce those risks.

The studies that were the basis for these health advisory levels investigated the impacts of PFOA and PFOS exposure on children’s response to the tetanus and the diphtheria vaccines. It is important to note that these studies did not measure infection or illness rates, only response to vaccinations. The available studies suggest that PFOA or PFOS exposure at specific life stages and dose levels may affect the ability of children or adults to respond to vaccines, in general. However, the scientific literature review did not include studies that assessed the impact of these chemical exposures on response specifically to vaccines against COVID-19 infection or illness rates.

The Centers for Disease Control (CDC) Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry (ATSDR) has released the following statement on the health effects of PFAS and COVID-19.

“CDC/ATSDR understands that many of the communities we are engaged with are concerned about how PFAS exposure may affect their risk of COVID-19 infection. We agree that this is an important question. CDC/ATSDR recognizes that exposure to high levels of PFAS may impact the immune system. There is evidence from human and animal studies that PFAS exposure may reduce antibody responses to vaccines (Grandjean et al., 2017, Looker et al., 2014), and may reduce infectious disease resistance (NTP, 2016). Because COVID-19 is a new public health concern, there is still much we don’t know. More research is needed to understand how PFAS exposure may affect illness from COVID-19.”

EPA continues to conduct research and monitor advances in testing technology, methods, and techniques that may improve our ability to measure PFAS at lower levels. A list of laboratories that met the fifth Unregulated Contaminant Monitoring Rule (UCMR 5) laboratory approval program application and proficiency testing criteria for methods 533 and 537.1 is available at https://www.epa.gov/dwucmr/list-laboratories-approved-epa- fifth-unregulated-contaminant-monitoring-rule-ucmr-5

Activated carbon, anion exchange and high-pressure membranes have all been demonstrated to remove PFAS from drinking water systems. These treatment technologies can be installed at a water system’s treatment plant and are also available in-home filter options. Each of the four Health Advisory documents identifies the treatment technologies that have been demonstrated to remove the specific PFAS and the factors that impact performance of the technologies. You can find more about these treatment technologies here.

EPA’s health advisories reflect our analysis of the best available, peer-reviewed science and provide non-regulatory and non-enforceable information to assist federal, state, Tribal and local officials, and managers of public or community drinking water systems in protecting public health when spills or contamination situations occur. States may issue different values based on their own analyses. For more information about the science and process EPA used to determine its health advisory values, see EPA’s Drinking Water Health Advisory Documents here.

PFOA and PFOS were widely used to make carpets, clothing, fabrics for furniture, paper packaging for food and other materials that are resistant to water, grease or stains. They were also used for firefighting at airfields and in a number of industrial processes. Many of these uses were phased out by U.S. manufacturers in the mid-2000s but some uses remain. GenX chemicals are replacements for PFOA, and PFBS is a replacement for PFOS.

Most people have been exposed to these chemicals through consumer products but drinking water can be an additional source of exposure in communities where these chemicals have contaminated water supplies.

The Emerging Contaminants in Small or Disadvantaged Communities Grant Program complements nearly $1 billion in FY22 Bipartisan Infrastructure Law (BIL) State Revolving Fund (SRF) funding dedicated specifically to addressing emerging contaminants like PFAS, the first of $5 billion between now and 2026. Communities can also use funding through the general and BIL supplemental SRF, totaling over $23 billion over the next 5 years to address emerging contaminants in water.

The VDH Office of Drinking Water PFAS webpage and DWSRF page contain more information on the available resources including funding.