Know Your Environment. Protect Your Health.

Perfluorooctane sulfonate (PFOS)

Halifax Water Department

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.

 

36

Samples

0

Samples exceeding legal limit (MCL)

29

Samples exceeding
health guidelines

Testing results - average by year

 
YearAverage resultSamples takenDetectionsRange of results
2013N/A00N/A
2014N/A00N/A
2015N/A00N/A
2016N/A00N/A
2017N/A00N/A
2018N/A00N/A
2019N/A00N/A
20205.47 ppt990.484 ppt - 15.3 ppt
20211.72 ppt65ND - 3.16 ppt
20221.80 ppt18180.654 ppt - 3.53 ppt
20232.63 ppt661.61 ppt - 3.32 ppt
2024ND60ND

ppt = parts per trillion

State, National, and Health Guidelines for Drinking Water

EWG Health Guideline: 0.3 ppt

The EWG Health Guideline of 0.3 ppt for PFOS was defined by EPA's final toxicity value from the Office of Water’s Final Human Health Toxicity Assessment. This health guideline protects againat cardiovascular harm and harm to fetal growth.

EPA Maximum Contaminant
Level (MCL): 4 ppt

ppt = parts per trillion

All test results

Date Result
2021-10-12ND
2021-10-120.923 ppt
2021-10-121.87 ppt
2021-10-121.63 ppt
2021-11-163.16 ppt
2021-11-162.73 ppt
2022-01-061.82 ppt
2022-01-061.83 ppt
2022-01-061.16 ppt
2022-01-060.663 ppt
2022-02-171.52 ppt
2022-04-062.81 ppt
2022-04-060.843 ppt
2022-04-061.49 ppt
2022-04-061.72 ppt
2022-05-042.90 ppt
2022-06-211.81 ppt
2022-07-181.46 ppt
2022-07-181.19 ppt
2022-07-180.654 ppt
2022-07-182.00 ppt
2022-08-162.37 ppt
2022-09-123.53 ppt
2022-10-172.67 ppt
2023-01-032.44 ppt
2023-01-032.61 ppt
2023-01-031.61 ppt
2023-04-053.01 ppt
2023-07-052.76 ppt
2023-10-023.32 ppt
2024-01-10ND
2024-01-10ND
2024-01-10ND
2024-01-10ND
2024-07-09ND
2024-07-09ND