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EWG's Tap Water Database — 2021 UPDATE

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Perfluorooctane sulfonate (PFOS)

NJ American Water - Western

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

 

118

Samples

0

Samples exceeding legal limit (MCL)

3

Samples exceeding
health guidelines

Testing results - average by year

 
YearAverage resultSamples takenDetectionsRange of results
2013ND330ND
2014ND10ND
2015N/A00N/A
2016N/A00N/A
2017N/A00N/A
20180.149 ppt451ND - 6.70 ppt
20190.226 ppt392ND - 5.30 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
2013-05-0121873501ND
2013-05-0121871901ND
2013-05-0221872301ND
2013-05-0221872901ND
2013-05-0621874301ND
2013-05-0821873301ND
2013-05-0821872501ND
2013-05-0921873701ND
2013-05-1321872701ND
2013-05-1321873901ND
2013-05-1621872101ND
2013-06-0621875101ND
2013-06-1721874501ND
2013-06-1921871701ND
2013-07-0121874901ND
2013-07-2421874701ND
2013-08-1923160401ND
2013-08-2323491001ND
2013-08-2323490801ND
2013-08-2323490401ND
2013-08-3023490601ND
2013-09-0623490201ND
2013-10-1123875801ND
2013-11-0423876601ND
2013-11-0423874401ND
2013-11-0423876001ND
2013-11-0623876201ND
2013-11-0623874801ND
2013-11-0623875001ND
2013-11-0823875201ND
2013-11-0823876401ND
2013-11-0823875601ND
2013-11-1323873301ND
2014-02-05201402140328AMND
2018-01-3038459801ND
2018-02-0138456401ND
2018-02-0138460301ND
2018-02-0138461101ND
2018-02-0938453401ND
2018-02-0938457501ND
2018-02-0938457701ND
2018-02-0938460001ND
2018-02-0938460801ND
2018-04-2039285301ND
2018-04-2039285701ND
2018-04-2039286001ND
2018-04-2339285901ND
2018-04-2739282601ND
2018-04-2739283501ND
2018-04-3039285501ND
2018-05-1839279801ND
2018-05-1839282901ND
2018-06-2640058501ND
2018-06-2640063701ND
2018-06-2640063801ND
2018-07-03404572016.70 ppt
2018-07-0340454401ND
2018-07-0340458001ND
2018-07-0340458601ND
2018-07-0340460701ND
2018-07-0340460901ND
2018-07-0340461201ND
2018-07-0340461301ND
2018-07-1340460501ND
2018-08-2340820801ND
2018-08-2340762901ND
2018-08-2340763001ND
2018-08-2841150301ND
2018-10-0440069901ND
2018-10-1941623701ND
2018-10-1941623901ND
2018-10-1941624301ND
2018-10-3041621301ND
2018-10-3041624101ND
2018-10-3141621901ND
2018-10-3141624401ND
2018-11-0141618201ND
2018-11-0641621001ND
2018-11-2742303601ND
2019-01-2542646401ND
2019-01-2542646901ND
2019-01-2542647601ND
2019-01-2542649701ND
2019-01-2542650001ND
2019-01-2542650801ND
2019-01-2842645601ND
2019-01-2842650601ND
2019-04-1043711301ND
2019-04-1243711401ND
2019-04-1243711501ND
2019-04-1243711601ND
2019-04-1243711701ND
2019-04-1243711901ND
2019-04-1243712001ND
2019-04-2643711801ND
2019-07-0345210301ND
2019-07-0545211301ND
2019-07-0545211401ND
2019-08-1645210401ND
2019-08-1645210201ND
2019-08-1645210001ND
2019-08-1645210101ND
2019-08-1645210501ND
2019-08-1645210601ND
2019-08-1645208801ND
2019-08-2345927701ND
2019-08-23459306015.30 ppt
2019-08-2345930501ND
2019-08-2645927801ND
2019-10-25469463013.50 ppt
2019-10-2546946101ND
2019-10-2546945901ND
2019-10-2546946001ND
2019-10-2546946201ND
2019-10-2546946401ND
2019-10-2546944801ND
2019-10-2846946501ND
2019-12-0547760901ND