THE GUARDIAN
Potentially toxic “forever chemicals” have been detected in the drinking water sources at 17 of 18 England’s water companies, with 11,853 samples testing positive, something experts say they are “extremely alarmed” by.
Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) – a group of 10,000 or so human-made chemicals widely used in industrial processes, firefighting foams and consumer products – were found in samples of raw and treated water tested by water companies last year, according to the Drinking Water Inspectorate (DWI), the Guardian and Watershed Investigations has found.
Some PFAS, including PFOS and PFOA, which are now mostly banned, have been linked to cancers, thyroid disease, immune system and fertility problems as well as developmental defects in unborn children.
The DWI says the “dangers of PFAS have become a growing concern due to their persistence in the environment, ability to accumulate in the human body, and potential health effects”.
The DWI categorises PFOS and PFOA contamination risk in three tiers, with tier 3, equal to or more than 100 nanograms a litre, being high risk and the point at which action must be taken to dilute the PFAS or remove the water source from public supplies.
PFOS was found in raw untreated water at 18 times the tier 3 100ng/l limit for drinking water. PFOA was detected at 1.5 times the limit.
Despite growing concerns about the health impacts of other PFAS, there are no limits set for the rest of the 10,000 or so substances. Of the 47 PFAS which water companies have been told to look for, 35 were detected and an additional PFAS compound was also found.
Affinity Water appears to have the biggest PFAS problem, with 73 raw water samples above the maximum DWI limits at five sites, followed by Anglian Water with 22 raw samples above the limit from two groundwater sources, according to a DWI report. Southern Water found two samples at or above the top limit in its treated water.
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