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EWG's Tap Water Database — 2021 UPDATE

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Perfluorooctane sulfonate (PFOS)

California American Water Company - Suburban

Perfluorooctane sulfonate (PFOS) is a member of a group of perfluorinated chemicals used in many consumer products. PFOS 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.

MORE ABOUT THIS CONTAMINANT

 

245

Samples

0

Samples exceeding legal limit (MCL)

86

Samples exceeding
health guidelines

Testing results - average by year

 
YearAverage resultSamples takenDetectionsRange of results
20147.80 ppt201ND - 156.0 ppt
20157.70 ppt201ND - 154.0 ppt
2016N/A00N/A
201744.6 ppt5616ND - 380.0 ppt
201825.3 ppt6117ND - 230.0 ppt
201917.4 ppt8852ND - 110.0 ppt

ppt = parts per trillion

State and national drinking water standards and health guidelines

EWG Health Guideline 1 ppt

The EWG Health Guideline of 1 ppt for PFOS 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 PFAS most widely detected in drinking water. This health guideline applies to the entire class of PFAS detected in water.

EPA Maximum Contaminant
Level (MCL) 4 ppt

ppt = parts per trillion

All test results

Date Lab ID Result
2014-10-0627313301ND
2014-10-0627148101ND
2014-10-0627147701ND
2014-10-0627147901ND
2014-10-0627147801ND
2014-10-0627484301ND
2014-10-0627148401ND
2014-10-0627147201ND
2014-10-0627313901ND
2014-10-0827148201ND
2014-10-0827147401ND
2014-10-0827147601ND
2014-10-0827147301156.0 ppt
2014-10-0827313701ND
2014-10-0827314201ND
2014-10-1527148301ND
2014-10-1527313601ND
2014-10-1527314001ND
2014-10-1527314101ND
2014-10-2327313401ND
2015-04-0628697901ND
2015-04-0628697801ND
2015-04-0628698001ND
2015-04-0628698401ND
2015-04-0628698201ND
2015-04-0628698301ND
2015-04-0628698901ND
2015-04-0728697401ND
2015-04-0728697301154.0 ppt
2015-04-0728697501ND
2015-04-0728699001ND
2015-04-0728699101ND
2015-04-0828698501ND
2015-04-0928697201ND
2015-04-0928699201ND
2015-04-1528698701ND
2015-04-2328697601ND
2015-07-0829299501ND
2015-07-3029268601ND
2015-09-1628698601ND
2017-09-195810-010-1420130.0 ppt
2017-09-195810-064-1520ND
2017-09-195810-066-1520ND
2017-09-205810-010-1055120.0 ppt
2017-09-205810-064-1112ND
2017-09-205810-066-1118ND
2017-09-215810-010-1303120.0 ppt
2017-09-215810-064-1319ND
2017-09-215810-066-1324ND
2017-09-225810-010-1143120.0 ppt
2017-09-225810-064-1158ND
2017-09-225810-066-1203ND
2017-09-235810-010-1228130.0 ppt
2017-09-235810-064-1143ND
2017-09-235810-066-1248ND
2017-09-265810-010-1328130.0 ppt
2017-09-265810-064-1343ND
2017-09-265810-066-1348ND
2017-10-035810-010-0730140.0 ppt
2017-10-035810-064-0745ND
2017-10-035810-066-0750ND
2017-10-105810-010-1442150.0 ppt
2017-10-105810-064-1500ND
2017-10-105810-066-1505ND
2017-10-175810-010-1342150.0 ppt
2017-10-175810-064-1357ND
2017-10-175810-066-1402ND
2017-10-245810-010-1350380.0 ppt
2017-10-245810-064-1405ND
2017-10-245810-066-1410ND
2017-10-315810-010-1228140.0 ppt
2017-10-315810-064-1243ND
2017-10-315810-066-1248ND
2017-11-075810-010-0915190.0 ppt
2017-11-075810-064-0930ND
2017-11-075810-066-0935ND
2017-11-089590-007-0938ND
2017-11-099590-001-0850ND
2017-11-145810-010-1226150.0 ppt
2017-11-145810-064-1241ND
2017-11-145810-066-1246ND
2017-11-215810-010-1118180.0 ppt
2017-11-219590-062-0900ND
2017-11-215810-064-1133ND
2017-11-215810-066-1138ND
2017-11-289590-005-0825ND
2017-11-285810-010-1337130.0 ppt
2017-11-289590-018-0740ND
2017-11-285810-064-1352ND
2017-11-285810-066-1357ND
2017-11-309590-012-0845ND
2017-12-125810-010-1320140.0 ppt
2017-12-125810-063-1330ND
2017-12-125810-064-1335ND
2017-12-125810-065-1340ND
2017-12-125810-066-1345ND
2018-01-025810-010-1205160.0 ppt
2018-01-025810-063-1215ND
2018-01-025810-064-1220ND
2018-01-025810-065-1225ND
2018-01-025810-066-1230ND
2018-02-205810-010-1030120.0 ppt
2018-02-205810-063-1045ND
2018-02-205810-064-1050ND
2018-02-205810-065-1055ND
2018-02-205810-066-1100ND
2018-03-125810-010-0936130.0 ppt
2018-03-125810-063-0950ND
2018-03-125810-064-0955ND
2018-03-125810-065-1000ND
2018-03-125810-066-1005ND
2018-04-035810-010-1400140.0 ppt
2018-04-035810-063-1415ND
2018-04-035810-064-1420ND
2018-04-035810-065-1425ND
2018-04-035810-066-1430ND
2018-05-015810-010-1145230.0 ppt
2018-05-015810-063-1200ND
2018-05-015810-064-12052.40 ppt
2018-05-015810-065-1210ND
2018-05-015810-066-1215ND
2018-06-135810-010-1100110.0 ppt
2018-06-135810-063-1110ND
2018-06-135810-064-1115ND
2018-06-135810-065-1120ND
2018-06-135810-066-1125ND
2018-07-115810-010-1130110.0 ppt
2018-07-115810-063-1140ND
2018-07-115810-064-1145ND
2018-07-115810-065-1150ND
2018-07-115810-066-1155ND
2018-08-145810-010-1415100.0 ppt
2018-08-145810-063-1425ND
2018-08-145810-064-1430ND
2018-08-145810-065-1435ND
2018-08-145810-066-1440ND
2018-09-119590-009-0645ND
2018-09-115810-010-1030120.0 ppt
2018-09-115810-063-1040ND
2018-09-115810-064-1045ND
2018-09-115810-065-1050ND
2018-09-115810-066-1055ND
2018-10-165810-010-1000100.0 ppt
2018-10-165810-063-10052.00 ppt
2018-10-165810-064-1010ND
2018-10-165810-065-1015ND
2018-10-165810-066-1020ND
2018-11-065810-010-1030110.0 ppt
2018-11-065810-063-10352.70 ppt
2018-11-065810-064-1040ND
2018-11-065810-065-1045ND
2018-11-065810-066-1050ND
2018-12-125810-010-1125100.0 ppt
2018-12-125810-063-11303.70 ppt
2018-12-125810-064-1135ND
2018-12-125810-065-11402.80 ppt
2018-12-125810-066-1145ND
2019-01-085810-010-1200110.0 ppt
2019-01-085810-063-12054.90 ppt
2019-01-085810-064-1210ND
2019-01-085810-065-12153.90 ppt
2019-01-085810-066-1220ND
2019-02-125810-010-1100100.0 ppt
2019-02-125810-063-11057.00 ppt
2019-02-125810-064-1110ND
2019-02-125810-065-11155.30 ppt
2019-02-125810-066-1120ND
2019-03-195810-010-1030110.0 ppt
2019-03-195810-063-10358.20 ppt
2019-03-195810-064-1040ND
2019-03-195810-065-10456.70 ppt
2019-03-195810-066-1050ND
2019-03-259590-009-1200ND
2019-04-175810-010-1000100.0 ppt
2019-04-175810-063-10059.10 ppt
2019-04-175810-064-1010ND
2019-04-175810-065-10157.60 ppt
2019-04-175810-066-1020ND
2019-05-139590-021-09306.10 ppt
2019-05-145810-010-0940110.0 ppt
2019-05-145810-063-094511.0 ppt
2019-05-145810-064-09500.400 ppt
2019-05-145810-065-09558.40 ppt
2019-05-145810-066-1000ND
2019-05-159590-013-094521.0 ppt
2019-06-041225-019-1040ND
2019-06-171225-006-12156.00 ppt
2019-06-181225-010-113599.7 ppt
2019-06-181225-063-114015.1 ppt
2019-06-181225-064-1145ND
2019-06-181225-065-115010.9 ppt
2019-06-181225-066-1155ND
2019-07-171225-010-123099.1 ppt
2019-07-171225-063-123515.8 ppt
2019-07-171225-064-1240ND
2019-07-171225-065-124512.8 ppt
2019-07-171225-066-1250ND
2019-08-071225-019-1110ND
2019-08-081225-021-12006.80 ppt
2019-08-121225-006-1410ND
2019-08-121225-013-124017.7 ppt
2019-08-141225-010-123086.3 ppt
2019-08-141225-063-123516.6 ppt
2019-08-141225-064-1140ND
2019-08-141225-065-124513.2 ppt
2019-08-141225-066-1250ND
2019-09-111225-010-123596.3 ppt
2019-09-111225-063-124021.1 ppt
2019-09-111225-064-1245ND
2019-09-111225-065-125016.1 ppt
2019-09-111225-066-1255ND
2019-10-111225-065-183019.9 ppt
2019-10-161225-010-1735101.0 ppt
2019-10-161225-063-180024.6 ppt
2019-10-161225-064-1811ND
2019-10-161225-066-1840ND
2019-11-041225-010-121594.1 ppt
2019-11-041225-063-123126.9 ppt
2019-11-041225-064-12432.90 ppt
2019-11-041225-065-125920.2 ppt
2019-11-041225-066-13142.40 ppt
2019-11-111225-004-1748ND
2019-11-111225-005-1640ND
2019-11-111225-008-13154.30 ppt
2019-11-111225-011-1157ND
2019-11-111225-012-1220ND
2019-11-111225-014-14201.60 ppt
2019-11-111225-016-16373.10 ppt
2019-11-111225-018-15054.70 ppt
2019-11-111225-020-13401.40 ppt
2019-11-111225-044-1517ND
2019-11-111225-049-1355ND
2019-11-111225-051-1305ND
2019-11-121225-001-1210ND
2019-11-121225-007-1300ND
2019-11-121225-009-14302.70 ppt
2019-11-121225-019-1533ND
2019-11-121225-021-14077.70 ppt
2019-11-121225-050-1532ND
2019-11-121225-053-1105ND
2019-11-131225-006-12335.00 ppt
2019-11-131225-013-142721.1 ppt
2019-11-141225-017-1533ND
2019-12-091225-013-153018.7 ppt
2019-12-091225-021-14166.80 ppt