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EWG's Tap Water Database — 2021 UPDATE

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Perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA)

Status: No national drinking water standard exists

 

Perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA) is a member of a group of perfluorinated chemicals used in many consumer products. PFOA and other 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.

2013-2019:

FOUND
FOUND ABOVE HEALTH GUIDELINES

30

states detected

1,057

utilities detected

24 million

people served

30

states over health guideline

1,076

utilities over health guideline

24 million

people served over health guideline

Health concerns for PFOA

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

EWG Health Guideline 0.007 ppt

The EWG Health Guideline of 0.007 ppt for PFOA was proposed by California Office of Environmental Health Hazard Assessment as a public health goal, the level of a drinking water contaminant that does not pose a significant health risk. This health guideline protects against cancer.

EPA Proposed Maximum Contaminant
Level (MCL) 4 ppt

The proposed legal limit for PFOA is 4 ppt, based on studies on people, including children, showing cancer risk.

ppt = parts per trillion

States reporting PFOA in drinking water

UTILITIES REPORTING ABOVE HEALTH GUIDELINES UTILITIES WITH CONTAMINATION
State UtilitiesPeople Served UtilitiesPeople Served
California1098,030,1911098,030,191
North Carolina2615,852,4082485,843,826
New Jersey2422,834,1722412,833,964
Kentucky481,636,098451,626,612
New York50881,72750881,727
Massachusetts35713,51635713,516
New Hampshire160536,179160536,179
Florida6482,6586482,658
Delaware3407,4953407,495
Alabama27368,90727368,907
Rhode Island22363,61522363,615
Pennsylvania19333,47718332,722
Wisconsin6269,7976269,797
Arizona5243,7155243,715
Tennessee3175,9673175,967
Minnesota5164,9425164,942
Illinois18151,83218151,832
Alaska12144,99812144,998
Georgia7143,3707143,370
Maryland4116,5384116,538
Michigan6113,3076113,307
Ohio698,227589,927
Colorado370,414370,414
West Virginia463,828463,828
Washington361,690361,690
Virginia347,863347,863
South Carolina233,325233,325
Oklahoma120,307120,307
Texas216,730216,730
Maine46,65846,658
MORE
LESS

Filtering technologies that reduce PFOA

carbon filter icon

Activated Carbon

reverse osmosis icon

Reverse Osmosis

Utilities with the highest amounts of PFOA, 2013-2019

ALL UTILITIES
LARGE UTILITIES
UtilityLocationTestsAverage levelPeople served
Hoosick FallsHoosick Falls, NY11 of 2736,163.1 ppt4,925
Carle Place Water DistrictCarle Place, NY5 of 7702.2 ppt9,005
Pawling Water District #1Pawling, NY12 of 16660.2 ppt100
Pawling Village*Pawling, NY12 of 16660.2 ppt2,200
Millerton VillageMillerton, NY4 of 4529.2 ppt2,000
Oakdale*Oakdale, MN75 of 119121.7 ppt28,315
Hicksville WDHicksville, NY36 of 90106.4 ppt48,000
Central Boaz PsdClifton, WV6 of 695.0 ppt1,418
Horsham Water&sewer AuthorityHorsham, PA126 of 18160.1 ppt25,000
Rome*Rome, GA4 of 455.0 ppt45,586
Aurora Water SystemAurora, NC1 of 150.6 ppt502
Security Waster DistrictColorado Springs, CO34 of 3847.1 ppt19,000
New Lisbon Development CenterNew Lisbon, NJ5 of 544.0 ppt2,014
South Orange Water DepartmentSouth Orange, NJ10 of 1443.2 ppt16,964
Sierra Army DepotHerlong, CA4 of 843.1 ppt1,500
Parkersburg Water DepartmentPalestine, WV3 of 341.2 ppt34,251
Chandler TerracePlaistow, NH2 of 540.5 ppt30
Petersburgh Water DistrictPetersburgh, NY20 of 4939.6 ppt240
Jaffrey Water WorksJaffrey, NH1 of 533.4 ppt3,612
Rolling Meadows Condos IExeter, NH1 of 131.3 ppt80
Warminster Municipal Authority*Warminster, PA13 of 3831.0 ppt40,000
Oatman Water CompanyScottsdale, AZ2 of 231.0 ppt280
Rainbow City Utilities Board*Rainbow City, AL4 of 430.0 ppt11,889
Northeast Etowah County Water Co-opGadsden, AL4 of 430.0 ppt4,164
Whorton Bend Water AuthorityGadsden, AL4 of 430.0 ppt2,301
Gadsden Water Works and Sewer Board*Gadsden, AL4 of 430.0 ppt44,637
Highland Water AuthorityGadsden, AL4 of 430.0 ppt3,852
Eagleswood Village Mobile Home ParkWest Creek, NJ4 of 428.8 ppt80
Peu/harvest VillageMerrimack, NH1 of 127.9 ppt175
Century Village CondosMerrimack, NH1 of 127.2 ppt875
Olde Country VillageLondonderry, NH1 of 127.1 ppt130
Ayer Road Properties LLCHarvard, MA4 of 426.8 ppt150
26 Chandler Ave. CondosPlaistow, NH2 of 526.7 ppt33
City of FountainFountain, CO9 of 1226.7 ppt29,000
Glen Ridge Water DepartmentGlen Ridge, NJ6 of 1025.9 ppt7,681
Montclair Water Bureau*Montclair, NJ6 of 1025.9 ppt37,669
United Water RahwayHighland Lakes, NJ4 of 425.8 ppt27,300
Holland Christian HomeNorth Haledon, NJ6 of 625.7 ppt240
West Morgan-East Lawrence Water Authority*Decatur, AL1 of 425.0 ppt30,000
Town Creek Water SystemTown Creek, AL1 of 425.0 ppt1,635
Pittsboro, Town of*Pittsboro, NC1 of 124.4 ppt4,401
Chapel Ridge S/dCary, NC1 of 124.4 ppt798
Locor Lakefront LodgingHopatcong, NJ4 of 424.0 ppt105
Little Brook Nursing HomCalifon, NJ4 of 424.0 ppt36
East Orange County Water District - RzOrange, CA8 of 823.8 ppt3,000
City of Corona*Corona, CA145 of 27923.6 ppt155,896
Home Gardens County Water DistrictCorona, CA145 of 27923.6 ppt3,033
City Of South Shore Water WorksSouth Shore, KY1 of 123.2 ppt6,798
Serrano Water District*Villa Park, CA8 of 822.9 ppt6,641
Merrimack Village District*Merrimack, NH331 of 33822.7 ppt25,000

* 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 Perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA), but it likely has the contaminant in its water supply.

UtilityLocationTestsAverage levelPeople served
Oakdale*Oakdale, MN75 of 119121.7 ppt28,315
Hicksville WDHicksville, NY36 of 90106.4 ppt48,000
Horsham Water&sewer AuthorityHorsham, PA126 of 18160.1 ppt25,000
Rome*Rome, GA4 of 455.0 ppt45,586
Security Waster DistrictColorado Springs, CO34 of 3847.1 ppt19,000
South Orange Water DepartmentSouth Orange, NJ10 of 1443.2 ppt16,964
Parkersburg Water DepartmentPalestine, WV3 of 341.2 ppt34,251
Warminster Municipal Authority*Warminster, PA13 of 3831.0 ppt40,000
Gadsden Water Works and Sewer Board*Gadsden, AL4 of 430.0 ppt44,637
Rainbow City Utilities Board*Rainbow City, AL4 of 430.0 ppt11,889
City of FountainFountain, CO9 of 1226.7 ppt29,000
Montclair Water Bureau*Montclair, NJ6 of 1025.9 ppt37,669
United Water RahwayHighland Lakes, NJ4 of 425.8 ppt27,300
West Morgan-East Lawrence Water Authority*Decatur, AL1 of 425.0 ppt30,000
City of Corona*Corona, CA145 of 27923.6 ppt155,896
Merrimack Village District*Merrimack, NH331 of 33822.7 ppt25,000
Yorba Linda Water DistrictYorba Linda, CA99 of 10320.8 ppt77,513
Suez Water Delaware*Wilmington, DE2 of 419.1 ppt100,495
BethanyBethany, OK2 of 418.5 ppt20,307
Widefield WSD*Colorado Springs, CO9 of 1718.1 ppt22,414
Ridgewood WaterRidgewood, NJ112 of 14317.4 ppt61,700
Hudson Water SupplyHudson, MA21 of 4216.8 ppt18,406
Calhoun*Calhoun, GA5 of 816.3 ppt49,088
V.A.W. Water System, Inc*Holly Pond, AL3 of 816.3 ppt15,582
Southside Water Works*Southside, AL4 of 815.0 ppt11,535
Orange Water DepartmentBayonne, NJ1 of 314.7 ppt30,134
Middlesex Water Company*Iselin, NJ13 of 2014.5 ppt233,376
East Brunswick Water Utility*East Brunswick Twp, NJ13 of 2014.5 ppt48,474
Highland Park W DepartmentHighland Park, NJ13 of 2014.5 ppt14,000
Garfield Water DepartmentGarfield, NJ4 of 814.1 ppt30,487
Fair Lawn Water DepartmentFair Lawn Boro, NJ8 of 1613.8 ppt31,000
NJ American Water - Raritan*Shamong, NJ16 of 4012.5 ppt615,430
United Water CamdenCamden, NJ57 of 7612.3 ppt46,585
Atlantic City Municipal Utilities AuthorityAtlantic City, NJ2 of 712.0 ppt152,415
Galesburg*Galesburg, IL1 of 211.7 ppt31,745
Cumberland*Cumberland, RI1 of 711.6 ppt22,864
Artesian Water Company*Newark, DE15 of 6110.8 ppt301,000
Harnett County Department of Public Utilities*Lillington, NC3 of 510.7 ppt101,389
Town of Holly SpringsHolly Springs, NC3 of 510.7 ppt38,500
City of Dunn*Dunn, NC3 of 510.4 ppt12,334
City of AnaheimAnaheim, CA81 of 11810.4 ppt450,000
Gallia CCounty o Rural Water Association*Gallipolis, OH1 of 210.2 ppt20,546
Montebello Land & Water CompanyMontebello, CA25 of 3410.1 ppt32,219
Bloomington*Bloomington, IL1 of 410.00 ppt77,610
Santa Clarita Water Division*Santa Clarita, CA30 of 569.94 ppt120,900
Pennichuck Water WorksMerrimack, NH19 of 239.92 ppt87,682
Warrington Twp Water&sew DeptWarrington, PA3 of 179.85 ppt21,588
City of Garden GroveGarden Grove, CA32 of 579.83 ppt170,883
Pico Rivera Water DepartmentPico Rivera, CA35 of 549.76 ppt39,000
City of OrangeOrange, CA28 of 599.39 ppt138,640

* 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 Perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA), but it likely has the contaminant in its water supply.