Getting ‘forever chemicals’ out of drinking water: EWG’s guide to PFAS water filters

[Environmental Working Group]

"Overview

EWG is recommending the most effective water filters for reducing PFAS.

Several water filter brands were able to eliminate some PFAS.

Affordable water filter alternatives also get some PFAS out of water.

What’s in your water? The “forever chemicals” known as PFAS contaminate the drinking water and groundwater of more than 2,800 communities, affecting an estimated 200 million Americans. Simply drinking a glass of water from your kitchen tap may expose you to these toxic substances – but there are steps you can take to protect yourself and your family.

One way to reduce harmful forever chemicals in your home is to use a water filter rather than drink straight from the faucet. But with so many filters on the market, and many marketing claims about eliminating PFAS, it can be hard to know which one is best for your home.

EWG’s guide to PFAS filters is based on our experience with several brands.

EWG staff bought and used 10 different types of water filters, testing them in real homes using their water.

We measured how much each water filter reduced forever chemicals. To bring you our recommendation, we also accounted for several other important qualities in our top selections. including the cost of the filter and its potential useful life, among other considerations..."
PTAS 

EPA Announces New Drinking Water Health Advisories for PFAS Chemicals, $1 Billion in Bipartisan Infrastructure Law Funding to Strengthen Health Protections

"Today, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) released four drinking water health advisories for per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) in the latest action under President Biden’s action plan to deliver clean water and Administrator Regan’s PFAS Strategic Roadmap. EPA also announced that it is inviting states and territories to apply for $1 billion – the first of $5 billion in Bipartisan Infrastructure Law grant funding – to address PFAS and other emerging contaminants in drinking water, specifically in small or disadvantaged communities. These actions build on EPA’s progress to safeguard communities from PFAS pollution and scientifically inform upcoming efforts, including EPA’s forthcoming proposed National Primary Drinking Water Regulation for PFOA and PFOS, which EPA will release in the fall of 2022.

“People on the front-lines of PFAS contamination have suffered for far too long. That’s why EPA is taking aggressive action as part of a whole-of-government approach to prevent these chemicals from entering the environment and to help protect concerned families from this pervasive challenge,” said EPA Administrator Michael S. Regan. “Thanks to President Biden’s Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, we are also investing $1 billion to reduce PFAS and other emerging contaminants in drinking water.”

“Today’s actions highlight EPA’s commitment to use the best available science to tackle PFAS pollution, protect public health, and provide critical information quickly and transparently,” said EPA Assistant Administrator for Water Radhika Fox. “EPA is also demonstrating its commitment to harmonize policies that strengthen public health protections with infrastructure funding to help communities—especially disadvantaged communities—deliver safe water.”.."
PFaS in Drinking Water 

Release of the PFAS Sites and Community Resources Map

[PFAS Project Lab. Northeastern University]
 "A new online map launched this week brings together information about known and suspected PFAS contamination sites across the United States with resources for affected communities and information about state action. This unique and interactive tool, called the PFAS Sites and Community Resources Map, was developed by the PFAS Project Lab at Northeastern University’s Social Science Environmental Health Institute (SSEHRI), Silent Spring Institute, and the PFAS-REACH team. This map is a new and improved version of the Community Resources map previously available on the PFAS Exchange website.

The PFAS Sites and Community Resources Map identifies 1,781 known sites of PFAS contamination based on the PFAS Project Lab’s PFAS Contamination Site Database. Additionally, we have identified 57,806 sites that are suspected of being contaminated, including current and former military sites, airports required to use PFAS-containing firefighting foam, industrial facilities, wastewater treatment plants, and railroad fire incidents. 

“This map brings together what we now know as all of the known and suspected sites of PFAS contamination in the U.S.,” says Dr. Phil Brown, co-director of the PFAS Project Lab co-director and Distinguished Professor at Northeastern University. “This truly paints a visual picture of how widespread PFAS contamination is across the country and how many communities are likely impacted,” adds Dr. Alissa Cordner, Associate Professor at Whitman College and co-director of the PFAS Project Lab.

In addition to mapping these known and suspected contamination locations, the map provides a nationwide portrait of PFAS advocacy groups, biomonitoring and health studies, and state action to show states that have enacted drinking water regulations and conducted PFAS testing. “We wanted to provide information not only on the extent of contamination in the U.S., but also highlight communities and states that are trying to do something about it,” says Dr. Laurel Schaider, Senior Scientist at Silent Spring Institute and lead investigator on PFAS-REACH. 

The map has interactive features that allow the user to explore more specific elements of contamination including detected PFAS levels and information about contamination at known sites, and details about types of facilities suspected of using or releasing PFAS in some way. The goal of this map is to educate and inform researchers, regulators, and community members to support the development of health-protective regulations, and to empower impacted communities to advocate for their health..."
PFAS Sites