Following a lengthy regulatory development process, the Environmental Protection Agency has finalized a rule establishing drinking water standards for a group of chemicals commonly known as PFAS. The rule sets limits for these substances and establishes a timeline for testing, compliance, and public notification.
WaterOne has been closely following the science and study of PFAS for many years. Per- and Polyfluoroalkl substances, commonly known as PFAS (or by variants such as PFOA, PFOS, or GenX,) are a group of man-made chemicals which are a by-product of certain manufacturing processes, including products such as non-stick cookware and fire suppression chemicals. Long-term PFAS ingestion has been linked to adverse health effects.
WaterOne is committed to its role of protecting the health of the nearly 500,000 customers who drink its water every day. WaterOne’s accredited water quality laboratory continuously tests drinking water for over 100 regulated substances and contaminants. No PFAS has been detected through periodic rounds of additional water quality testing under the EPA’s Unregulated Contaminant Monitoring Rule (UCMR). WaterOne will continue to test for PFAS in accordance with the new rule, and if any PFAS is ever detected, customers can be confident that WaterOne will notify them and take action.
“WaterOne employees are your friends and neighbors, and we proudly drink our water every day,” said General Manager Shaun Pietig. “We’re all partners in this effort, which includes our committed regulatory partners, strong utility leadership, and forward-looking investments in our drinking water systems and technology.”
Learn more about this subject at WaterOne.org/PFAS. Customers are also encouraged to read the annual Water Quality Report, which contains a detailed summary about water quality data WaterOne collects throughout the year to comply with federal and state drinking water standards.