According to a newly released study by the U.S. Geological Survey., at least 45% of the nation’s tap water is likely contaminated with at least one form of PFAS known as “forever chemicals.”
There are thousands of man-made chemicals present in all facets of life, from nonstick cookware to stain-resistant carpets to contaminated sources of food and water. Unfortunately, these substances have a slow breakdown rate, resulting in an accumulation in people, animals, and the environment over time.
Research has indicated that exposure to certain PFAS may be associated with detrimental health effects in humans, such as an increased risk of certain cancers, heightened obesity and cholesterol levels, decreased fertility, and developmental issues like low birth weight in children.
“This USGS study can help members of the public to understand their risk of exposure and inform policy and management decisions regarding testing and treatment options for drinking water,” Kelly Smalling, a USGS research chemist who is the lead author of the new study released in July, told NPR.
This study is the first to compare PFAS in tap water from both public and private supplies on a broad scale throughout the country, Smalling said.

This USGS map shows the number of PFAS detected in tap water samples from select sites across the nation.
Over the course of five years, water samples were collected from over 700 locations across the nation and tested for PFAS contamination. This data was then used to construct models and make estimations on a national scale.
And it comes as the federal government claims it is looking to create new regulations for toxins in drinking water.
USGS tested for 32 individual PFAS compounds, and said in a release that the EPA’s recent advisories for PFOS and PFOA “were exceeded in every sample in which they were detected in this study.”
Most state and federal monitoring programs typically measure exposure to PFAS and other pollutants at the water treatment plants or groundwater wells that supply them, Smalling said. Her team took a different approach.
“The USGS study specifically focused on collecting water directly from a homeowner’s tap where exposure actually occurs,” she explained.
From 2016 to 2021, scientists conducted a nationwide survey of 716 residences, businesses, and drinking-water treatment plants from various protected, rural and urban areas in the US. Of these locations, 447 were supplied by public sources while 269 used private wells.
The findings indicated that PFAS concentrations in the water were similar between those two groups. Despite this, EPA warns that even minute amounts of chemicals present in the drinking water could pose serious risks.
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USGS scientists estimated a 75% chance of PFAS presence in urban areas and a 25% chance in rural areas.
This is consistent with the findings from Smalling, who observed higher concentrations of chemicals near urban areas and potential sources such as airports and wastewater treatment plants. The study additionally implies that exposure may be more widespread in specific geographical regions.
“Results from this study indicate potential hotspots include the Great Plains, Great Lakes, Eastern Seaboard, and Central/Southern California regions,” Smalling said.
The study says its findings support the need for further assessments of the health risks of PFAS both as a class and in combination with other contaminants, “particularly in unmonitored private wells where information is limited or not available.”
The EPA recommends finding out whether PFAS chemicals are in your drinking water, either by calling your local water utility or conducting regular well testing, depending on your source. Then you can compare those numbers to your state’s standards for safe levels of PFAS in drinking water (or those in the EPA advisories).
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Makes you wonder if all these reports are a game of Halloween, trying to scare the hell out of people. Then you wonder why pill taking and drugs use has shot up??????