PFAS Information
In June 2022, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) released an updated interim lifetime health advisory for four compounds. This updated advisory was a drastic reduction from the advisory released by the EPA in 2016. The four compounds noted in the advisory are a part of a large group of chemicals that are called per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances, or PFAS for short. These compounds are man-made substances that have been produced since the early 1940’s and are commonly used in food packaging, production of non-stick cookware surfaces, stain resistant and water-repellent clothing, carpets, cosmetics, firefighting foams, and other consumer products that resist heat, oil, grease and water.
In addition to the consumer products noted above, drinking water can also be an additional source for exposure. Recent testing has indicated PFAS in nearly 100 water systems across the state of Alabama and many more throughout the United States. Limited testing over the last several years has indicated trace amounts of PFAS in samples taken from our water system, which are above the new advisory limit.
The new advisory level is approximately 3,500 to 17,500 times less than the previous limit released by the EPA in 2016. The new health advisory limits are so small that certified laboratories do not currently have methods to analyze or report levels to these amounts.
Currently, there is no existing federal regulatory limit for PFAS in drinking water supplies, and our treated water currently meets all public health standards under the federal Safe Drinking Water Act. EPA’s lifetime health advisories are non-enforceable and non-regulatory. The issuance of a health advisory is commonly the first step by the EPA in developing/setting regulatory limits, which can be a lengthy process.
Below you can find information from the Water Works Board of the City of Auburn on this topic, including its response to the newly released limits, PFAS test results for our system, state-wide PFAS testing results from the Alabama Department of Environmental Management (ADEM), and links on this topic from the EPA and other professional water organizations.
ADEM State-Wide Sampling Report