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EWG's Tap Water Database — 2021 UPDATE

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Hexafluoropropylene oxide dimer acid (HFPO-DA)

Status: No national drinking water standard exists

 

Hexafluoropropylene oxide dimer acid (HFPO-DA) is a member of a group of perfluorinated chemicals used in many consumer products. HFPO-DA 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.

2017-2019:

FOUND
FOUND ABOVE HEALTH GUIDELINES

1

states detected

30

utilities detected

1.3 million

people served

0

states over health guideline

0

utilities over health guideline

0

people served over health guideline

Health concerns for HFPO-DA

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 1 ppt

The EWG Health Guideline of 1 ppt for HFPO-DA was defined by EWG as 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 PFAS most widely detected in drinking water. This health guideline protects against applies to the entire class of PFAS detected in water.

ppt = parts per trillion

States reporting HFPO-DA in drinking water

UTILITIES WITH CONTAMINATION
State UtilitiesPeople Served
Kentucky301,345,599
MORE
LESS

Filtering technologies that reduce HFPO-DA

carbon filter icon

Activated Carbon

reverse osmosis icon

Reverse Osmosis

Utilities with the highest amounts of HFPO-DA, 2017-2019

ALL UTILITIES
LARGE UTILITIES
UtilityLocationTestsAverage levelPeople served
Maysville Utility Commission*Maysville, KY1 of 129.7 ppt11,263
Ashland Water Works*Ashland, KY1 of 118.3 ppt44,402
Russell Water Company*Russell, KY1 of 113.5 ppt6,810
Henderson Municipal Water & Sewer*Henderson, KY1 of 112.6 ppt31,705
Walton Waterworks Department*Walton, KY2 of 28.83 ppt4,173
Northern Kentucky Water District*Ft Thomas, KY2 of 28.83 ppt199,460
Pendleton County Water District #1 / North*Falmouth, KY2 of 28.83 ppt1,485
Lebanon Junction Water WorksLebanon Junction, KY2 of 24.89 ppt2,866
Mt Washington Water CompanyMt Washington, KY2 of 24.89 ppt23,760
Louisville Water Company*Louisville, KY2 of 24.89 ppt764,769
West Mccracken County Water DistrictWest Paducah, KY1 of 14.89 ppt4,410
Paducah Water Works*Paducah, KY1 of 14.89 ppt64,013
Taylorsville Water WorksTaylorsville, KY2 of 24.89 ppt18,973
Sturgis Water WorksSturgis, KY1 of 14.50 ppt3,490
Morganfield Water Works*Morganfield, KY1 of 13.57 ppt5,170
Union County Water District*Morganfield, KY1 of 13.57 ppt6,117

* 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 Hexafluoropropylene oxide dimer acid (HFPO-DA), but it likely has the contaminant in its water supply.

UtilityLocationTestsAverage levelPeople served
Maysville Utility Commission*Maysville, KY1 of 129.7 ppt11,263
Ashland Water Works*Ashland, KY1 of 118.3 ppt44,402
Henderson Municipal Water & Sewer*Henderson, KY1 of 112.6 ppt31,705
Northern Kentucky Water District*Ft Thomas, KY2 of 28.83 ppt199,460
Mt Washington Water CompanyMt Washington, KY2 of 24.89 ppt23,760
Louisville Water Company*Louisville, KY2 of 24.89 ppt764,769
Paducah Water Works*Paducah, KY1 of 14.89 ppt64,013
Taylorsville Water WorksTaylorsville, KY2 of 24.89 ppt18,973

* 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 Hexafluoropropylene oxide dimer acid (HFPO-DA), but it likely has the contaminant in its water supply.