A new model created by the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) estimates that up to 95 million Americans may rely on groundwater contaminated with PFAS for their drinking water.

PFAS (per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances) are a family of over 10,000 highly persistent chemicals. Because they do not break down easily in the environment, they are often given the nickname the ‘forever chemicals’.

Exposure to some PFAS has been linked to numerous serious health conditions, including certain cancers (such as kidney and testicular cancer), developmental issues, and immune system disruption.

One of the most common routes of exposure is through contaminated food and water. But people can be exposed to PFAS through various means due to their presence in everyday products, such as cosmetics, clothing, and cleaning products.

The model, which was published in the journal Science, predicts where in the U.S. PFAS is most likely to be found in groundwater. It doesn’t estimate the concentrations of PFAS in the groundwater, and the USGS states that testing is the only way to confirm the presence of contaminants.

The estimates indicate that Florida and California have the largest populations relying on public water that may be contaminated with PFAS.

USGS also published an interactive, online map that allows people to see the likelihood of PFAS occurrence in groundwater in their region.

USGS hydrologist and lead author of the study, Andrea Tokranov said:

“The study’s findings indicate widespread PFAS contamination in groundwater that is used for public and private drinking water supplies in the U.S.,”

The model can help scientists and communities prioritise areas where the PFAS risk may be higher for future testing, allowing them to better protect people from unintentionally drinking contaminated water.

The USGS states that this is especially important for those relying on private wells for their drinking water, who may have less information on their water quality, and who may not have access to the same testing and treatment standards as public water suppliers.

CHEM Trust is working to stop PFAS pollution at its source. Once these chemicals contaminate our bodies and the environment, they become extremely difficult and costly to remove. We need to turn off the tap on PFAS in order to protect our health and our environment.

Read more on PFAS here.

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