Many Illinois communities have forever chemicals in their drinking water

[August 20, 2024]  By Kevin Bessler | The Center Square

(The Center Square) – A new report shows that forever chemicals, or PFAS, are contaminating drinking water supplies in communities all around Illinois.  

Michael Regan, administrator of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency
EPA Administrator Michael Regan | Facebook

Research by the Environmental Working Group (EWG) shows that many Illinois communities have levels of PFAS above the proposed limit, including in areas from Mt. Vernon to Metro East to Rockford. The group is calling on Congress to boost funding to tackle what they call a “growing environment and public health crisis.”

“The PFAS contamination crisis is not just a threat, it’s an unfolding disaster that demands immediate and unprecedented action,” said Scott Faber, senior vice president of government affairs at EWG.

New data from the EPA shows 7,457 locations identified with PFAS in their water supply. With only two-thirds of water systems that will be tested under the rule, the results, added to existing data, show that over 130 million Americans are at risk from drinking water tainted by PFAS.

According to the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), 140 public water systems in Illinois have tested positive for PFAS, but officials warn the number could be much higher.

“It’s nearly impossible to avoid PFAS,” said Tasha Stoiber, a senior scientist at EWG. “Everyone deserves access to clean water, and it shouldn’t fall to consumers alone to filter out PFAS from their tap water.”

The new report outlines an agenda, with key roles for agencies including the EPA, the Food and Drug Administration, and the Department of Defense to ramp up their efforts to address PFAS contamination. EWG’s plan aims to mobilize multiple government agencies not only to mitigate PFAS pollution but also to safeguard public health and clean up PFAS-contaminated sites.

The group is calling for a ban on the use of PFAS in firefighting foam and food packaging.

For people who know or suspect that PFAS are detected in their tap water, a home filtration system is the most efficient way to reduce exposure.

“Regardless of who wins the presidential election, the fight against PFAS is a litmus test for the next administration’s commitment to environmental and public health,” said Reeder. “The stakes couldn’t be higher, and the time for half-measures is over.”