Most people probably turn on their tap water each day to drink, cook meals or bathe and never give much thought about health risks that might be involved with these day-to-day activities.
Over the next several weeks, WAAY 31will share information we've uncovered in a months-long investigation into potentiallife-threatening health risks due to dangerous chemicals that could be in your tap water.
PFAS, or polyfluoroalkyl substances, are man-made chemicals present in drinking water across parts of our region. WAAY 31 interviewed a team of experts from the United States Environmental Protection Agency. They shared with us details about PFAS water contamination in Alabama and other parts of the country.
"North Alabama is similar to many places across the country where monitoring information shows that PFAS is found in fairly common places," said Brian Smith. Smith manages the EPA's safe drinking water program for region 4 which includes Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Kentucky, Mississippi, North Carolina, South Carolina, Tennessee, and six tribes.
"We find it inmany sources of water, including groundwater and surface water like rivers and lakes," Smith explained.
PFAS are present in the Tennessee River.
[WEB EXTRA: Huntsville Utilities Water 2024 Quality Report. According to Huntsville Utilities' website, in 2023 PFAS test results for Huntsville were 0.002-0.0242/ and LCWSA0.339-0.04491ppb.]
The Tennessee River is the source of many water utilities in our area which provide water to many homes, schools, and businesses.
[WEB EXTRA: A detailed PFAS contamination MAPof data from the Environmental Protection Agency and the Alabama Department of Environmental Management analyzed by the Environmental Working Group, shows recorded PFAS detections in drinking water wells, at times, well above the EPA's limit, as well as other relevant contamination sites. It also shows other relevant sites like military installations and Superfund sites across the U.S., sources of contamination, statistics, and more.]
"The health risks that we are most concerned about in drinking water are negative effects on pregnant people and developing babies, including low birth weight. It weakens the body's ability to fight disease so it lessens the effect of immunities. And it causes an increased risk for some cancers and elevated cholesterol levels is another concern," Smith said.
[WEB EXTRA: City of Florence PFAS Test Results 1/26/24]
[WEB EXTRA: City of Florence Water Quality Report]
WAAY 31 was given access to several water utility companies including the Wilson Lake Water Treatment Plant in the City of Florence. Tad Cole, manager of the Water and Gas Department, conducted the tour. We were also given full access to the Albertville Municipal Wastewater Treatment Plant by Elden Chumley. Chumley serves as the general manager/CEO of the Municipal Utilities Board of the city of Albertville. Cole and Chumley said they are actively working on plans to try to address PFAS, but it could cost as much $30 million to do so.
[WEB EXTRA: Albertville Municipal Water Utilities Board PFAS Statement]
[WEB EXTRA: Albertville Water 2022 Water Quality Report]
On April 10, 2024, the Environmental Protection Agency finalized limits on certain common types of PFAS chemicals in drinking water. It is the first time a nationwide limit on so-called "forever chemicals" has been imposed on water providers. EPA Administrator Michael Regan called it the biggest action the agency has ever taken on PFAS, saying the rule will reduce exposure for 100 million people. The regulation represents a new era for public health and drinking water. Utilities are alarmed at these new requirements and the billions of dollars they will cost.
[WEB EXTRA: Decatur Utilities Water Quality Report]
[WEB EXTRA: Decatur Utilities Finished Water Sampling Results.According to the Decatur Utilities website, recent tests for PFOA and PFOS were below 4ppt maximum contaminant level.]
Here are the essential things to know about the family of chemicals and EPA's latest action:
What are PFAS?
PFAS, or perfluoroalkyl and polyfluoroalkyl substances, are a group of chemicals that have been around for decades and have now spread into the nation's air, water, and soil.
They were manufactured by companies such as 3M, Dupont, Chemours, and others because they were incredibly useful. They helped eggs slide across non-stick frying pans, ensured that firefighting foam suffocates flames, and helped clothes withstand the rain and keep people dry. The chemicals resist breaking down, and that means they stay around in the environment.
[WEB EXTRA: Settlement information on DuPont and 3M that have received preliminary approval from the District Court of South Carolina.]
So, what's the problem?
Environmental activists say that PFAS manufacturers knew about the health harms of PFAS long before they were made public. The same attributes that make the chemicals so valuable – resistance to breakdown – make them hazardous to people.
PFAS accumulate in the body, which is why EPA set their limits for drinking water at four parts per trillion for two common types — PFOA and PFOS — that are phased out of manufacturing but are still present in the environment. Health experts say low doses of the chemicals can build up in the body over time, so even small amounts are a problem.
There's a wide range of health harms now associated with exposure to certain PFAS, many largely phased out. Cases of kidney disease, low birth weight, and high cholesterol in addition to certain cancers can be prevented by removing PFAS from water, according to the EPA.
[WEB EXTRA:A recentSTUDYthat includes information on DuPont and shows that companies knew PFAS were toxic when inhaled or ingested.]
The guidance on PFOA and PFOS has changed dramatically in recent years as scientific understanding has advanced. The EPA in 2016 said the combined amount of the two substances should not exceed 70 parts per trillion. Now the EPA says no amount is safe.
What does the new rule do?
In short, the rule sets limits on several common types of PFAS. The EPA says there is enough evidence to limit PFOA and PFOS at the lowest level they can be reliably detected.
For some other types, the limit is 10 parts per trillion. There are also limits on certain PFAS combinations.
Water providers will have three years to test for PFAS. They'll also need to tell the public if results are too high. If results are a concern, utilities have two more years to install treatment. The EPA estimates that 6 - 10% of water systems will have levels above the EPA's new limits. As a result of the rule, the EPA says nearly 10,000 fewer deaths will occur in the coming decades and tens of thousands of severe illnesses will be avoided.
What are people saying about it?
Well, quite a lot.
Environmental and public health groups have argued that limits should have been in place long ago, but they are generally thrilled with the announcement. They like that it sets limits for PFOA and PFOS at very low levels and that the agency did not agree with some utility groups that wanted a more lenient limit.
They are happy the Biden administration has finally acted to reduce PFAS in tap water, a source of PFAS that's easier to address than others. They acknowledge it will cost a lot for communities to install treatment facilities, but say that billions of dollars are available from the infrastructure law and court settlements will provide billions more.
Water providers are not the ones that put PFAS in the environment, but now they face mandates to remove it. That's going to be a big change for them.
Water providers say the EPA's $1.5 billion annual cost estimate is too low and that water bills for consumers will go up. They also say the health benefits of the rule aren't big enough, especially at low PFAS concentrations, to justify all the expense. In addition, they say this rule will hurt small communities that have fewer resources and will have a harder time complying.
Then there are the practical challenges. Utilities say they will struggle to find enough experts and workers and the material needed to remove PFAS. There are also concerns that consumers who hear about high levels of PFAS in their drinking water might stop consuming tap water altogether, further deteriorating trust in an important public resource.
[WEB EXTRA: EWG PFAS Contamination Map]
[WEB EXTRA: EPA PFASAnalytic Tools]
You can call STC Law Firm at (615) 979-0090 if you're interested in PFAS legal claims or click here to submit your information.
Supporting resources: Associated Press/Walton Family Foundation
