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Perfluorohexane sulfonate (PFHXS)

Status: No national drinking water standard exists

 

Perfluorohexane sulfonate is a member of a group of perfluorinated chemicals used in many consumer products. Perfluorinated chemicals can cause serious health effects, including cancer, endocrine disruption, accelerated puberty, liver and immune system damage, and thyroid changes. These chemicals are persistent in the environment and they accumulate in people. Click here to read more about perfluorinated chemicals.

2010-2015:

FOUND
FOUND ABOVE HEALTH GUIDELINES

23

states detected

135

utilities detected

5.5 million

people served

23

states over health guideline

130

utilities over health guideline

4.2 million

people served over health guideline

Health concerns for perfluorohexane sulfonate

Cancer

Harm to the immune system

Hormone disruption

Harm to fetal growth and child development

Harm to the liver

State and national drinking water standards and health guidelines

Health Guideline 1 ppt

The health guideline of 1 ppt for perfluorohexane sulfonate was defined by EWG based on studies by Phillipe Grandjean of Harvard University and many other independent researchers who found reduced effectiveness of vaccines and adverse impacts on mammary gland development from exposure to PFOA and PFOS, the two PFCs most widely detected in drinking water. This health guideline applies to the entire class of PFCs detected in water.

ppt = parts per trillion.

States reporting perfluorohexane sulfonate in drinking water

UTILITIES REPORTING ABOVE HEALTH GUIDELINES UTILITIES WITH CONTAMINATION
State UtilitiesPeople Served UtilitiesPeople Served
New York593,70071,232,858
Arizona38928,20438928,204
New Jersey6778,5916778,591
California5460,5937641,634
Florida12358,48112358,481
North Carolina7321,3048337,804
Delaware2307,0002307,000
Pennsylvania6183,2406183,240
Texas17178,28817178,288
Minnesota5144,6375144,637
Massachusetts3110,8473110,847
Colorado661,907661,907
Wisconsin260,427260,427
West Virginia329,577329,577
Illinois224,480224,480
Washington122,926122,926
Oklahoma420,495420,495
Ohio116,551116,551
Indiana116,350116,350
Kansas115,840115,840
Maine114,025114,025
South Dakota113,646113,646
Maryland13,50013,500
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Utilities with the highest amounts of perfluorohexane sulfonate, 2010-2015

ALL UTILITIES
LARGE UTILITIES
UtilityLocationTestsAverage levelPeople served
Oatman Water CompanyScottsdale, AZ2 of 2710.0 ppt536
Security Waster DistrictColorado Springs, CO36 of 38229.7 ppt19,000
Widefield WSD*Colorado Springs, CO11 of 17103.6 ppt19,000
Wright-Patterson AFB Area A PWSWright Patterson Afb, OH5 of 876.6 ppt16,551
BemidjiBemidji, MN1 of 293.5 ppt13,560
City of Stuart - Water PlantStuart, FL2 of 271.5 ppt19,000
Atlantic City Municipal Utilities Authority*Atlantic City, NJ7 of 767.7 ppt152,415
Newburgh City*Newburgh, NY4 of 462.8 ppt28,000
City of FountainFountain, CO10 of 1259.2 ppt21,000
Issaquah Water System*Issaquah, WA2 of 855.3 ppt22,926
City of Ocala*Ocala, FL2 of 249.0 ppt50,924
Barnstable Water Company (Hyannis)Hyannis, MA8 of 1447.3 ppt35,000
Rhinelander Water & WastewaterRhinelander, WI2 of 636.2 ppt7,427
Horsham Water&sewer Authority*Horsham, PA7 of 3436.0 ppt25,000
Artesian Water Company*Newark, DE4 of 3635.0 ppt301,000
Warminster Municipal Authority*Warminster, PA9 of 3830.1 ppt40,000
Bethany*Bethany, OK2 of 427.8 ppt20,307
City of Martinsburg*Martinsburg, WV3 of 825.7 ppt15,652
Fort Drum*Fort Drum, NY2 of 625.0 ppt34,400
United Water PennsylvaniaHarrisburg, PA1 of 923.2 ppt97,645
Camp Pendleton (South)Camp Pendleton, CA3 of 623.2 ppt39,400
Liberty Water Lpsco*Avondale, AZ4 of 1222.5 ppt45,298
Westfield Water DepartmentWestfield, MA2 of 1222.5 ppt42,000
City of Vienna*Vienna, WV2 of 620.7 ppt12,507
Warrington Twp Water&sew Dept*Warrington, PA3 of 1719.8 ppt18,400
Dyer Water DepartmentDyer, IN1 of 416.4 ppt16,350
City of Zephyrhills*Zephyrhills, FL2 of 1713.5 ppt21,823
Cottage Grove*Cottage Grove, MN3 of 618.0 ppt33,930
Sanford Water DistrictSanford, ME2 of 1611.3 ppt14,025
Emerald Coast Utilities Authority*Pensacola, FL6 of 5210.7 ppt249,872

* This water utility supplies finished drinking water to at least one other water utility. The purchasing utility is not required to test for or report Perfluorohexane sulfonate (PFHXS), but it likely has the contaminant in its water supply.

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UtilityLocationTestsAverage levelPeople served
Security Waster DistrictColorado Springs, CO36 of 38229.7 ppt19,000
Widefield WSD*Colorado Springs, CO11 of 17103.6 ppt19,000
Wright-Patterson AFB Area A PWSWright Patterson Afb, OH5 of 876.6 ppt16,551
BemidjiBemidji, MN1 of 293.5 ppt13,560
City of Stuart - Water PlantStuart, FL2 of 271.5 ppt19,000
Atlantic City Municipal Utilities Authority*Atlantic City, NJ7 of 767.7 ppt152,415
Newburgh City*Newburgh, NY4 of 462.8 ppt28,000
City of FountainFountain, CO10 of 1259.2 ppt21,000
Issaquah Water System*Issaquah, WA2 of 855.3 ppt22,926
City of Ocala*Ocala, FL2 of 249.0 ppt50,924
Barnstable Water Company (Hyannis)Hyannis, MA8 of 1447.3 ppt35,000
Horsham Water&sewer Authority*Horsham, PA7 of 3436.0 ppt25,000
Artesian Water Company*Newark, DE4 of 3635.0 ppt301,000
Warminster Municipal Authority*Warminster, PA9 of 3830.1 ppt40,000
Bethany*Bethany, OK2 of 427.8 ppt20,307
City of Martinsburg*Martinsburg, WV3 of 825.7 ppt15,652
Fort Drum*Fort Drum, NY2 of 625.0 ppt34,400
United Water PennsylvaniaHarrisburg, PA1 of 923.2 ppt97,645
Camp Pendleton (South)Camp Pendleton, CA3 of 623.2 ppt39,400
Westfield Water DepartmentWestfield, MA2 of 1222.5 ppt42,000
Liberty Water Lpsco*Avondale, AZ4 of 1222.5 ppt45,298
City of Vienna*Vienna, WV2 of 620.7 ppt12,507
Warrington Twp Water&sew Dept*Warrington, PA3 of 1719.8 ppt18,400
Dyer Water DepartmentDyer, IN1 of 416.4 ppt16,350
City of Zephyrhills*Zephyrhills, FL2 of 1713.5 ppt21,823
Cottage Grove*Cottage Grove, MN3 of 618.0 ppt33,930
Sanford Water DistrictSanford, ME2 of 1611.3 ppt14,025
Emerald Coast Utilities Authority*Pensacola, FL6 of 5210.7 ppt249,872
City of Tempe*Tempe, AZ4 of 2410.4 ppt165,000
City of Abilene*Abilene, TX2 of 128.21 ppt123,886

* This water utility supplies finished drinking water to at least one other water utility. The purchasing utility is not required to test for or report Perfluorohexane sulfonate (PFHXS), but it likely has the contaminant in its water supply.

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