Menu

EWG's Tap Water Database — 2021 UPDATE

Donate

Perfluoro-2-methoxyacetic acid (PFMOAA)

Status: No national drinking water standard exists

 

Perfluoro-2-methoxyacetic acid (PFMOAA) is a member of a group of perfluorinated chemicals used in many consumer products. PFMOAA 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

18

utilities detected

403,000

people served

0

states over health guideline

0

utilities over health guideline

0

people served over health guideline

Health concerns for PFMOAA

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 PFMOAA 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 PFMOAA in drinking water

UTILITIES WITH CONTAMINATION
State UtilitiesPeople Served
North Carolina18402,707
MORE
LESS

Filtering technologies that reduce PFMOAA

carbon filter icon

Activated Carbon

reverse osmosis icon

Reverse Osmosis

Utilities with the highest amounts of PFMOAA, 2017-2019

ALL UTILITIES
LARGE UTILITIES
UtilityLocationTestsAverage levelPeople served
Wrightsville Beach Water SystemWrightsville Beach, NC1 of 12,003.8 ppt6,380
Bladen Bluffs Water SystemTarheel, NC1 of 1209.9 ppt4,589
Pender County UtilitiesBurgaw, NC1 of 1208.6 ppt24,236
Ocean Isle Beach, Town of*Ocean Isle Beach, NC1 of 1195.6 ppt7,216
Brunswick County Water System*Bolivia, NC1 of 1195.6 ppt100,694
Holden Beach, Town ofHolden Beach, NC1 of 1195.6 ppt6,212
Navassa, Town ofNavassa, NC1 of 1195.6 ppt747
Brunswick Regional Water and Sewer H2goLeland, NC1 of 1195.6 ppt28,488
Shallotte, Town ofShallotte, NC1 of 1195.6 ppt5,862
Town of Oak IslandOak Island, NC1 of 1195.6 ppt23,635
Navassa, Town of-cedar Hill AnnexNavassa, NC1 of 1195.6 ppt25
Leland, Town ofLeland, NC1 of 1195.6 ppt5,662
Town of Navassa - PhoenixNavassa, NC1 of 1195.6 ppt71
Southport, City ofCity Of Southport, NC1 of 1195.6 ppt6,447
Oyster Point S/dWilmington, NC1 of 1152.5 ppt99
Cape Fear Public Utility Authority - New Hanover County*Wilmington, NC1 of 1152.5 ppt29,052
Cape Fear Public Utility Authority - WilmingtonWilmington, NC6 of 1142.5 ppt153,202
College View Mobile Home ParkWilmington, NC4 of 410.5 ppt90

* 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 Perfluoro-2-methoxyacetic acid (PFMOAA), but it likely has the contaminant in its water supply.

UtilityLocationTestsAverage levelPeople served
Pender County UtilitiesBurgaw, NC1 of 1208.6 ppt24,236
Town of Oak IslandOak Island, NC1 of 1195.6 ppt23,635
Brunswick County Water System*Bolivia, NC1 of 1195.6 ppt100,694
Brunswick Regional Water and Sewer H2goLeland, NC1 of 1195.6 ppt28,488
Cape Fear Public Utility Authority - New Hanover County*Wilmington, NC1 of 1152.5 ppt29,052
Cape Fear Public Utility Authority - WilmingtonWilmington, NC6 of 1142.5 ppt153,202

* 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 Perfluoro-2-methoxyacetic acid (PFMOAA), but it likely has the contaminant in its water supply.