The Virginia Department of Environmental Quality has ranked 40 drinking water systems across the state that tested positive for PFAS, also referred to as 'forever chemicals.' The agency plans to investigate the sources of this pollution. WMRA's Randi B. Hagi reports.
PFAS are "a class of persistent synthetic chemicals used worldwide in many consumer products," according to the DEQ. These chemicals are present in many shampoos, fast food packaging, non-stick cookware, and other items. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency has set drinking water contaminant levels for six different PFAS, saying higher concentrations of and prolonged exposure to the chemicals can cause cancer and other illnesses.
The DEQ is now examining 40 water systems that had PFAS exceeding those contaminant levels, including one in our area. The North Rivanna Water Treatment Plant is ranked as a moderate priority for investigation based on the concentration of chemicals and the size of the population it serves. The plant processes water from the North Fork of the Rivanna River for more than 71,000 residents of Charlottesville and Albemarle County. Four PFAS were found in the water, with the most concentrated one – PFOA – present at more than six times the legal limit. An EPA review of health studies found that PFOA lowered infant birth weight and caused kidney and testicular cancer, among other health risks.
A spokesperson for the DEQ told WMRA in an email that the source assessment process starts with staff mapping out the area around the system's source water, and identifying dischargers – commercial and municipal facilities that release some substance that could end up in surface water. Staff will then cross-check that list with a list of industries known to handle PFAS, and ask those facilities to self-report their use of the chemicals. The agency may also directly monitor discharge coming from those facilities for one year.
For WMRA News, I'm Randi B. Hagi.
