PFAS Reference Guide

Some PFAS chemicals can accumulate in the body over time. Current research has shown that people can be exposed to PFAS by:

• Working in occupations such as firefighting or chemical manufacturing and processing
• Eating certain foods that may contain PFAS, including fish
• Using products made with PFAS or that are packaged in materials containing PFAS
• Drinking water contaminated with PFAS

In November 2023, BSU sampled and tested for PFAS in the drinking water supply and all tests showed “Non-Detectable” limits in accordance with U.S. EPA’s established Health Advisory Levels (HALs).

The EPA regulates safe levels for hundreds of compounds in drinking water. The EPA developed a PFAS Strategic Roadmap in October 2021 to address the health risks and to set maximum contaminant levels for PFAS within the scientifically rigorous framework of the Safe Drinking Water Act (SDWA).

Recent actions include:

• In June 2022, the EPA issued a health advisory for certain PFAS compounds.
• In March 2023, the EPA issued proposed regulatory standards for six PFAS compounds.

April 10, 2024:

EPA set its final rule setting drinking water standards for six per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS). Much of the final rule remains unchanged from the proposed rule. The rule finalizes the proposed maximum contaminant level goals (MCLGs) and maximum contaminant levels (MCLs) for both perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA) and perfluorooctanesulfonic acid (PFOS).

The final rule also includes the hazard index approach for perfluorohexanesulfonic acid (PFHxS), perfluorononanoic acid (PFNA), perfluorobutanesulfonic acid (PFBS), and hexafluoropropylene oxide dimer acid (HFPO-DA) as proposed; however, the MCL is set at 1 (as opposed to 1.0). Additionally, the final rule sets individual MCLGs and MCLs of 10 ppt for PFHxS, PFNA, and HFPO-DA.

Additional information can be found here. 

BSU will continue to monitor PFAS in accordance with the Unregulated Contaminant Monitoring Rule “UCMR5.” We sampled for PFAS in November 2023 and again in May 2024. Through the UCMR program, water systems collect data on a group of contaminants that are currently not regulated in drinking water at the federal level. More information on the UCMR program can be found at www.epa.gov/dwucmr/fifth-unregulated-contaminant-monitoring-rule.

There are established technologies that can effectively remove PFAS if it is found in drinking water. Those technologies include activated carbon adsorption, ion exchange resins, and high-pressure membranes. These technologies can be used in drinking water treatment facilities, in water systems in hospitals or individual buildings, or even in homes at the point-of-entry, where water enters the home, or the point-of-use, such as in a kitchen sink or a shower. (EPA)

PFAS are measured in parts per trillion, not parts per million or parts per billion like other substances. A part per trillion describes the amount of something, in this case PFAS, in water or soil. This would equate to ten drops of liquid inside a pool the size of the Rose Bowl.

The only way to know if there is PFAS in your water is to test for it, like we do at BSU. In order to test your water, you will need to contact a certified lab and pay for the analysis. A list of all certified labs can be found here.

Environmental Protection Agency’s website: www.epa.gov/pfas

Center for Disease Control’s website: www.atsdr.cdc.gov/pfas

Don Woodruff, Director of Operations: dwoodruff@bsu.us or 239-947-0711