PFOA in Your Water and What It Means
PFOA (perfluorooctanoic acid) is one of the best-known members of the PFAS family, a group of human-made chemicals used for decades to make products resist heat, grease, stains and water. PFOA was used in making nonstick coatings such as Teflon, and in 2005 DuPont paid a $10.25 million settlement to the EPA for failing to report information about the chemical.
PFOA and PFOS, a closely related compound, were phased out of U.S. production in the 2000s, but they break down very slowly, so they are still found in the environment and in some water supplies — including in parts of Southern California.
Where is PFOA found?
Until the early 2000s, PFOA and PFOS were used to make goods that repel dirt, grease, water and stains, including nonstick cookware, carpet treatments, treated apparel, upholstery, sealants, floor wax and some food packaging. They have also been used in firefighting foams.
Because their carbon-fluorine bonds are so strong, these compounds don’t break down easily in the environment. They can reach groundwater and surface water from industrial sites, landfills, wastewater and areas where firefighting foam was used.
How PFOA Is Regulated
In April 2024, the EPA finalized the first enforceable national drinking water limits for PFAS, including a limit of 4 parts per trillion (ppt) each for PFOA and PFOS, with compliance phased in over several years. Before that, the EPA had only non-enforceable health advisories.
California also sets notification levels for PFOA (5.1 ppt) and PFOS (6.5 ppt), which require water systems to notify their governing bodies when exceeded, and response levels (10 ppt for PFOA and 40 ppt for PFOS) at which the state recommends a source be taken out of service, treated or disclosed to customers. Your utility reports PFAS results in its annual Consumer Confidence Report. If you have health questions, talk to your doctor or your county health department.
Where Culligan Can Help
Your utility’s report reflects water leaving its system; a test of your own tap is how you find out what is reaching your fixtures. Measuring PFAS at parts-per-trillion levels requires a certified laboratory, so it isn’t part of a standard in-home water test. Culligan’s free in-home water test measures hardness, chlorine and total dissolved solids (TDS); ask us about arranging a certified lab test if you want PFAS results.
Activated carbon and reverse osmosis are the most common ways to reduce PFOA and PFOS at home. Check a system’s performance data sheet for what it is certified to reduce, and look for certification to NSF/ANSI Standard 53 or 58 for PFOA/PFOS reduction.
It’s also worth testing your water if you notice any of the following:
- Water tastes “off”
- Water is not clear
- Water has an unpleasant odor
