A federal study has revealed that over 70 million Americans are consuming tap water contaminated with “forever chemicals,” scientifically known as per- and poly-fluoroalkyl substances (PFAS), which have been linked to cancer, reproductive issues, and damage to the immune system.
The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) disclosed this information after testing a third of the public water supplies in the United States, raising concerns about the widespread exposure of residents to these persistent chemicals that cannot be broken down by the body.
According to the EPA’s findings from testing 3,700 water systems, densely populated regions such as New York, New Jersey, and parts of California and Texas have the highest levels of contamination.
The Environmental Working Group (EWG) cautioned that the EPA’s data only provides a partial view of the PFAS contamination issue, indicating that the problem could be more extensive nationwide.
While the EPA’s interactive map displayed Manhattan as having zero reports of “forever chemicals” in its water systems, suggesting clean drinking water for Big Apple residents, PFAS are not limited to water sources. These chemicals are also present in various household items like food packaging, cookware, clothing, and cleaning products, serving as protective barriers against heat, oil, and stains, as noted by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
The EPA’s report coincides with a recent study published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, which revealed alarming levels of microplastic contamination in bottled water, averaging 240,000 plastic particles per 1-liter bottle—far higher than previous estimations.