They’re in nonstick cookware, waterproof clothing and even dental floss. And the Environmental Protection Agency needs water systems to determine when they’re found in drinking water.
We’re talking about PFAS, or so-called “forever chemicals” that don’t break down in nature. They can build up in the body over time and may lead to health issues like cancer, weakened immune systems and decreased fertility.
So far, Utah is in a “really good spot,” said John Steffan, emerging contaminants manager with the Utah Division of Drinking Water. And more funding for testing and treatment could be on the way.
Drinking water is one of the main ways people are exposed to PFAS, short for perfluoroalkyl and polyfluoroalkyl substances, said Cyrus Western, Region 8 administrator at the EPA. The agency recently announced $9.4 million for Utah to help water systems serving 10,000 or fewer people get a sense of what they’re dealing with.
“A lot of the times, it's just figuring out, where are we even at?” Western said. “Are there PFAS in our water? OK, how much? You know, like, is it to an extent that it's going to have a negative impact on human health?”
At about $300 per test site, costs can add up, especially for small systems, Steffan said. The Utah Department of Environmental Quality will submit a proposed budget to the EPA to access the funds. Previous rounds of funding have helped Utah water systems save about $170,000, according to Steffan.
The EPA also wants to repeal regulations for certain chemicals and let communities apply for extra time to meet contamination standards. The agency says it wants to follow the law and science when establishing standards, but critics argue the plan is illegal and will lead to more Americans drinking contaminated water.
April 2027 is the federal deadline for initial monitoring. Statewide, roughly 86% of all water systems have begun testing, and about 40% have finished, Steffan said. About 2% of them found PFAS levels above the EPA standards.
“We don't see a whole lot of PFAS at unsafe drinking water levels, and the areas that we, the detections that we have seen, our water systems are being very proactive.”
He figures Utah is better off than some other states because these chemicals were largely manufactured in the Midwest and Northeast. But the state is not immune. Some water in Park City tested above EPA limits for PFAS, likely from ski wax, but Steffan said that hasn’t been detected on a broad scale outside the area.
Down the road, he expects the bigger expense to be remediation, which EPA funds can also be used for.
Treatment options include filtration technologies, like high-pressure membranes and activated carbon treatment, or diluting the contaminants with uncontaminated water, which is what Park City plans. None of that is cheap.
“Hundreds of thousands, if not into the millions, for potential treatment or remediation, that's when it really, you know, hits home,” Steffan said.
For those curious about what they’re drinking, Steffan said it’s best to ask their local water system directly. But results are also published online.
Macy Lipkin is a Report for America corps member who reports for KUER in northern Utah.
