Opinion: Our water is polluted with ‘forever chemicals.’ Here’s how some agencies are stepping in.

In this June 7, 2018, file photo, PFAS, or perfluoroalkyl and polyfluoroalkyl substances, foam gathers at the the Van Etten Creek dam in Oscoda Township, Mich., near Wurtsmith Air Force Base.

These man-made chemicals have been used in industry and consumer products for decades and today can be found in nearly half of the tap water in the U.S.

While tap water in California is considered safe by most standards, specific contaminants are finding their way into the drinking water supply. Take per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS, also known as “forever chemicals”) for example, which have been shown to have serious adverse effects on human health, including cancer, thyroid disorders, ulcerative colitis, infertility. The list goes on. In fact, tap water in urban areas in Southern and Central California appears to be a hot spot for contamination by these chemicals, according to new U.S. Geological Survey research.

Pollution involving “forever chemicals” is widespread. These man-made chemicals have been used in industry and consumer products for decades and today can be found in nearly half of the tap water in the U.S. In California, out of the 248 active public water systems tested, 65 percent had these contaminants in their drinking water.

As a result of the hazard that they pose to health, regulators nationwide have been actively working on setting and tightening the maximum levels allowed in public water supplies. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency recently took a notable step to protect public health by proposing to establish legally enforceable levels for six “forever chemicals” known to occur in drinking water, which would introduce the first-ever national standard to address them in drinking water. If finalized, the standard will require public water systems to monitor and treat for these chemicals.

To date, such regulation has mainly affected drinking water utilities. However, getting these chemicals out of our drinking water can’t stop at drinking water treatment. To be effective, contaminant remediation must include addressing water pollution at the source.

The problem, of course, is that the “source” of “forever chemicals” is everywhere. They come not just from industrial wastewater because of their use in manufacturing, but in municipal wastewater, where the chemicals are showing up in the human waste stream. They are around us, and they are in us. All wastewater contains some concentration of these chemicals in almost every region of the country. Thus, should regulators expand their focus beyond drinking water and onto wastewater, such regulation could have a significant impact.

The rapidly changing regulatory environment, both at the federal and state level, and the public attention that this problem is garnering as of late are creating uncertainties around who will pay for the cleanup.

Early estimates of the cost of removing “forever chemicals” from drinking water nationwide are about $400 billion. And these costs — which cover only the cost of drinking water treatment, not wastewater treatment — are expected […]

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