Sierra Club Response to EPA’s First Round of Sampling of Toxic PFAS Chemicals

Washington, DC – Today, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) released its first round of sampling of toxic PFAS chemicals in drinking water, reporting results for 2,001 large and small drinking water systems. Concentrations of two common PFAS chemicals, PFOS and PFOA, were above the proposed drinking water limit of 4 parts per trillion. At least 8.5% of water systems exceeded the limit for PFOS, and 7.8% of systems exceeded the proposed limit for PFOA. These water systems will soon be required to find alternative sources or install costly water treatment technologies to protect customers from harm. The chemicals are shown to impact the kidneys, liver, immune system and harm the developing fetus. Long term ingestion increases the risk of kidney and testicular cancer. 

EPA required utilities to measure 29 of the most common PFAS chemicals. It has proposed drinking water limits for six chemicals, but has not yet established a timeline for setting limits for the remaining chemicals in the PFAS family.

EPA’s testing effort is less sensitive than other recent tests, including a nationally representative sampling effort by the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS), which detected and reported PFAS at a lower level. EPA’s program is structured to not collect or report concentrations of PFAS that are below its artificially high reporting level, meaning many people may have PFOS or PFOA concentrations that pose a health risk, but would be told that there are no detectable levels of these chemicals in their water. Sierra Club and other advocates have urged EPA to address this problem by collecting and sharing all data from its contracted analytical laboratories.

In response, Sierra Club Senior Toxics Policy Advisor Sonya Lunder released the following statement:

“We applaud the EPA for taking action, revealing PFAS contamination in wells and water sources from Anchorage, Alaska to Puerto Rico. For far too long, communities across the country have been living in the dark, unsure of whether their water was safe to drink. Today, many of them woke up to news that toxic ‘forever chemicals’ have indeed been found in their drinking water, and may have been there for decades. But testing is not enough; we need action. The EPA must promptly finalize its proposed drinking water limits for six PFAS chemicals, and take similar action for the rest of the chemicals measured in drinking water. 

While today is a positive step in safeguarding our drinking water, it is only the beginning. The EPA must continue its testing and set more stringent standards for what is a threat. And those responsible for manufacturing this crisis must be held accountable and pay the full cost to clean up their disaster.”