Toxic per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) were detected in tap water samples from 18 U.S. states between May and June 2023. Monroe, New Jersey had the highest concentration of PFAS of the samples tested, with 82 parts per trillion (ppt). PFAS were also detected in major metropolitan areas such as Los Angeles, Austin, and Denver, exposing millions of people to potentially unsafe drinking water.
The Environmental Protection Agency has proposed regulating certain PFAS, such as perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA) and perfluorooctane sulfonic acid (PFOS), at four ppt. These "forever chemicals" have been used in the U.S. since the 1940's to manufacture everyday items. They have been linked with cancer and birth defects and have been found in blood samples.
Toxic fluorinated chemicals (PFAS) found in United States tap water as of June 2023, by select city and county
(in parts per trillion)
Characteristic
Concentration in parts per trillion
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*Samples from multiple zip codes were tested in Los Angeles, Brooklyn, and Baltimore.
Sample collection kits for a panel of 40 PFAS from SimpleLab were shipped to volunteers. Samples were collected by volunteers in May and June 2023 from an unfiltered home tap following the lab’s instructions. Samples were analyzed using EPA Method 1633. Results represent PFAS concentrations from a single sample, and may not show what is currently coming out of a tap, but rather a snapshot of a specific site on a specific day. The test results are likely representative of the water in the area where the sample was taken but are not intended to identify specific water systems.
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EWG. (July 18, 2023). Toxic fluorinated chemicals (PFAS) found in United States tap water as of June 2023, by select city and county (in parts per trillion) [Graph]. In Statista. Retrieved July 27, 2024, from https://www.statista.com/statistics/1143355/toxic-pfas-concentration-tap-water-us-cities/
EWG. "Toxic fluorinated chemicals (PFAS) found in United States tap water as of June 2023, by select city and county (in parts per trillion)." Chart. July 18, 2023. Statista. Accessed July 27, 2024. https://www.statista.com/statistics/1143355/toxic-pfas-concentration-tap-water-us-cities/
EWG. (2023). Toxic fluorinated chemicals (PFAS) found in United States tap water as of June 2023, by select city and county (in parts per trillion). Statista. Statista Inc.. Accessed: July 27, 2024. https://www.statista.com/statistics/1143355/toxic-pfas-concentration-tap-water-us-cities/
EWG. "Toxic Fluorinated Chemicals (Pfas) Found in United States Tap Water as of June 2023, by Select City and County (in Parts per Trillion)." Statista, Statista Inc., 18 Jul 2023, https://www.statista.com/statistics/1143355/toxic-pfas-concentration-tap-water-us-cities/
EWG, Toxic fluorinated chemicals (PFAS) found in United States tap water as of June 2023, by select city and county (in parts per trillion) Statista, https://www.statista.com/statistics/1143355/toxic-pfas-concentration-tap-water-us-cities/ (last visited July 27, 2024)
Toxic fluorinated chemicals (PFAS) found in United States tap water as of June 2023, by select city and county (in parts per trillion) [Graph], EWG, July 18, 2023. [Online]. Available: https://www.statista.com/statistics/1143355/toxic-pfas-concentration-tap-water-us-cities/
