U.S. drinking water sources are rife with carcinogenic agents, according to research conducted by the environmental organization Waterkeeper Alliance. Recent monitoring reveals that toxic per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) have contaminated 98% of tested U.S. waters, with elevated levels found at 95% of sampled sites downstream from wastewater treatment plants (WWTPs) and 80% downstream from biosolids land application sites.

Passive samplers developed by SiREM were deployed upstream and downstream of 22 WWTPs and 10 biosolids application fields, capturing PFAS levels over at least 20 days. The pollutants were detected at sampling sites across 19 states and total PFAS exceeded the 1 ppt human health-based criteria at all WWTP and 90% of biosolids sites. The concentrations recorded also exceeded federal drinking water thresholds for PFOA and PFOS at multiple sites, with some exceeding 10 ppt.

Total PFAS increased downstream from 17 WWTP sites, with one site spiking nearly 3,000% to 228.29 ppt. Total concentrations also increased downstream from six biosolids sites, with one site spiking more than 5,100% to 106.51 ppt.

States with PFAS in drinking water sources included Alabama, California, Connecticut, Florida, Georgia, Maryland, Michigan, Mississippi, New Jersey, North Carolina, Oregon, Rhode Island, South Carolina, Texas, Virginia, Washington, West Virginia and Wisconsin.

The Waterkeeper Alliance advocates for the establishment and enforcement of federal standards for PFAS in drinking water and surface water discharges under the Safe Drinking Water Act and the Clean Water Act, and for the prohibition of land application of PFAS-contaminated biosolids.