WASHINGTON –New data released by the Environmental Protection Agency shows an additional 15 million Americans have drinking water contaminated by the toxic “forever chemicals” known as PFAS. It brings the total number of people at risk of drinking this contaminated tap water to more than 158 million across the U.S.
“The EPA’s latest report confirms what scientists have feared: PFAS contamination is a public health disaster,” saidDavid Andrews, Ph.D., deputy director of investigations and a senior scientist at the Environmental Working Group.
“Drinking water is a major source of PFAS exposure. The sheer number of contaminated sites shows that these chemicals are likely present in most of the U.S. water supply,” he said.
The findings come from tests of the nation’s drinking water supply conducted as part of the EPA’sFifth Unregulated Contaminant Monitoring Rule, or UCMR 5, which requires U.S. water utilities to test drinking water for 29 individual PFAS compounds.
This round of data confirms the presence of one or more PFAS compounds at2,719 locations. Adding these 15 million people to previously collected UCMR and state data shows a total of over 158 million Americans face the risk of drinking PFAS-contaminated water.
The EPA is expected to release more UCMR 5 results in the coming months.
Protections under threat
In 2024, the EPA finalizedfirst-time limits on six PFAS in drinking water, which will help tackle forever chemicals contamination – but these standards are now at risk.
Reversing or weakeningthe drinking water standards for six PFAS – as many supporters of President Donald Trump have proposed – could leave nearly 53 million people without protection from these toxic chemicals, according to EWG’s analysis of results reported so far.
“President Trump’s administration puts our PFAS protections in jeopardy,” saidScott Faber, EWG’s senior vice president for government affairs. “Rolling back the PFAS drinking water standard would mean letting Americans continue to drink water contaminated with chemicals linked to cancer, immune suppression and developmental issues.”
UCMR 5 test results show that a staggering 53 million people instates with no PFAS drinking water regulations are now exposed to toxic PFAS levels above the EPA’s limits. Without state-level safeguards, these millions must rely solely on the federal standards as protection from the health risks of PFAS-contaminated drinking water.
The new data also contributes to information showing 9,190locations with PFAS detected in their water in all 50 states, the District of Columbia and four U.S. territories.
Due to the public health risk and national concern, theEPA labeled two of the most harmful PFAS ashazardous substances, which triggered the release of 9 billion in funding for water treatment. The need for stronger, faster action has never been more urgent.
Underscoring the scale of this public health crisis, a2020 study by EWG scientists estimated that more than200 million Americans are exposed to PFAS levels of 1 part per trillion or higher in their drinking water.
The latest UCMR 5 data and a recentU.S. Geographical Survey study showing widespread groundwater contamination further support EWG’s ongoing effortsto map PFAS contamination in water supplies across the country.
“Almost everywhere we look, we find more PFAS contamination,” said Andrews.
The EPA plans to release additional data on PFAS in drinking water between now and 2026 as more systems conduct tests. As of March only about 77 percent of systems had reported any results, and just 57 percent had reported afull set of test results.
Widespread PFAS pollution
With the Trump administration already dismantling environmental protections, weakened oversight could grant polluters unchecked freedom to release toxic forever chemicals into U.S. waterways, endangering millions of Americans.
EWG estimatesnearly 30,000 industrial polluters could be discharging PFAS into the environment, including into sources of drinking water. Restrictions on industrial discharges would lower the amount of PFAS ending up in drinking water sources.
Last August, EWGproposed a comprehensive plan for steps the next administration should take to address toxic PFAS. Building on the Biden-Harris administration’s strides in regulating these harmful substances, EWG’s report outlines a bold agenda, with key roles for agencies, including the EPA, the Food and Drug Administration, and the Department of Defense, to ramp up their efforts to confront PFAS contamination.
The plan also calls for Congress to boost funding for these efforts and outlines urgent actions for tackling the growing PFAS environmental and public health crisis.
Health risks of PFAS exposure
PFAS are toxic at extremely low levels. They are known as forever chemicals because once released into the environment, they do not break down, and they can build up in the body. The Centers for Disease Control and Preventionhas detected PFAS in the blood of 99 percent of Americans,including newborn babies.
Very low doses of PFAS have been linked tosuppression of the immune system. Studies show exposure to PFAS can alsoincrease the risk of cancer,harm fetal development andreduce vaccine effectiveness.
For over 30 years, EWG has been dedicated to safeguarding families from harmful environmental exposures, holding polluters accountable, and advocating for clean, safe water.
“Everyone deserves access to clean water, and it shouldn’t fall to consumers alone to filter PFAS from their tap water,” said Andrews.
“Some home water filters are designed to reduce PFAS levels. They also help remove other contaminants, providing a broader benefit. But regular filter replacement is key. An old filter can make PFAS levels worse than untreated tap water,” he said.
For people who know of or suspect the presence of PFAS in their tap water,a home filtration system is the most efficient way to reduce exposure. EWG researchers tested the performance of10 popular water filters to evaluate how well each reduced PFAS levels detected in home tap water.
The Environmental Working Group (EWG) is a nonprofit, non-partisan organization that empowers people to live healthier lives in a healthier environment. Through research, advocacy and unique education tools, EWG drives consumer choice and civic action.