About Per- and Poly-fluoroalkyl Substances (PFAS)

Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS), often called "forever chemicals," are a group of synthetic chemicals developed since the 1940s. These chemicals contaminate water, air, soil, and fish globally. They are increasingly concerning due to their widespread environmental presence, persistence, toxicity, and potential for human exposure through water and food. Research indicates that exposure to certain PFAS in the environment may be associated with adverse health effects in humans and animals. Their presence in a wide array of consumer, commercial, and industrial products complicate efforts to study and evaluate the risks they pose to human health and the environment.

PFAS Regulations for California Drinking Water

On April 10, 2024, the United States Environmental Protection Agency (U.S. EPA) announced the final National Primary Drinking Water Regulation (NPDWR) for six PFAS, establishing legally enforceable Maximum Contaminant Levels (MCLs). The regulation proposed by the U.S. EPA will require public water systems to monitor for these PFAS, notify the public of the levels of these PFAS, and reduce the levels of these PFAS in drinking water if they exceed the standards.

PFAS Analytic Tools

EPA created the PFAS Analytic Tools to integrate data about PFAS reporting, testing, and occurrences in communities. The PFAS Analytic Tools make it easier to evaluate the collective PFAS information from 11 different databases that include relevant information. Consolidating all these data sources in one searchable platform will help the public, researchers, and other stakeholders better understand potential PFAS sources in their communities, including potential exposure pathways in communities with environmental justice concerns. Please refer to the links below for PFAS Analytic Tools and the User Guide.

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