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CONTAMINANT

Perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA)

FOUND

Exceeding guidelines

STATES DETECTED

42

serves

92 million

utilities detected

4,506

states detected

42

serves

82 million

utilities detected

4,139

Overview

Perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA) is a member of a group of perfluorinated chemicals used in many consumer products. PFOA 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.

State, National, and Health Guidelines for Drinking Water

EWG Health Guideline: 0.09 ppt

The EWG Health Guideline of 0.09 ppt for PFOA was was defined by EPA's final toxicity value from the Office of Water’s Final Human Health Toxicity Assessment. This health guideline protects againat cardiovascular harm and harm to fetal growth.

EPA Maximum Contaminant
Level (MCL): 4 ppt

ppt = parts per trillion

National Standard Exists

Health Concerns:

  • Cancer

  • Harm to the immune system

  • Hormone disruption

  • Harm to fetal growth and child development

  • Harm to the liver

Want to remove
Perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA) from your water?

Try these filter technologies:

Activated Carbon, 

Reverse Osmosis, 

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Perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA) around the Country

UTILITIES REPORTING ABOVE HEALTH GUIDELINES UTILITIES WITH CONTAMINATION
State Utilities People Served Utilities People Served
California23114,478,43427118,395,374
New Jersey3487,406,1553647,534,610
New York8345,902,2159777,483,604
Florida1106,878,1081106,878,108
North Carolina2775,721,1862846,846,764
Massachusetts3936,008,3434156,445,409
Pennsylvania1464,424,3121474,496,312
Texas944,381,534944,381,534
Alabama1242,975,7981363,421,358
Wisconsin2152,598,8742412,926,274
Illinois1411,996,9361442,088,827
Washington1232,046,7511262,081,330
South Carolina1232,067,1511232,067,151
Minnesota1131,447,0311491,937,808
Virginia171,821,040171,821,040
Kentucky391,390,212411,691,887
Michigan1111,080,1301401,464,536
Connecticut311,390,504311,390,504
Georgia291,209,090291,209,090
Colorado921,033,3321041,112,643
Ohio79982,72580995,525
Arizona17519,53918767,139
Delaware15621,27815621,278
Rhode Island54482,14957578,479
Tennessee20532,21720532,217
New Hampshire155529,759155529,759
Nevada120,4513479,451
Louisiana13419,60813419,608
Iowa18381,41018381,410
Indiana22299,11222299,112
Alaska15288,75215288,752
Maryland11144,31811144,318
West Virginia21140,84621140,846
Maine77122,67478127,302
Utah663,76413110,240
Missouri1080,6471080,647
Oregon579,205579,205
New Mexico276,528276,528
Kansas250,364250,364
Oklahoma120,307120,307
Idaho39,42539,425
Mississippi15,93515,935

Utilities with the highest amounts of PFOA, 2013-2024

ALL UTILITIES
LARGE UTILITIES
Utility Location Tests Average level People served
Little Hocking Water/sewer AssociationLittle Hocking, OH2 of 6833.3 ppt9,892
Hoosick FallsHoosick Falls, NY64 of 118195.6 ppt4,925
Belpre City Public Water SystemBelpre, OH2 of 4180.0 ppt6,441
City of Vienna*Vienna, WV6 of 695.0 ppt12,507
Central Boaz PsdMineral Wells, WV6 of 695.0 ppt1,418
OakdaleOakdale, MN103 of 20594.9 ppt28,303
Nikishka BayAnchorage, AK1 of 193.0 ppt420
Lubeck PsdBellville, WV1 of 289.8 ppt10,377
Westwind Mobile HomeFriendship, WI2 of 261.7 ppt90
Petersburgh Water DistrictPetersburgh, NY49 of 7656.2 ppt240
Rome*Rome, GA4 of 455.0 ppt45,586
South Orange Water DepartmentSouth Orange, NJ8 of 846.9 ppt16,964
Blue Heron VillageHamburg, PA4 of 445.3 ppt80
Nas Whiting FieldMilton, FL25 of 9544.0 ppt3,081
Maine Water Company Union DivisionPoland, ME2 of 336.7 ppt238
Sunrise Serenity TpSebattus, ME4 of 436.6 ppt25
Hannah Heights Owners AssociationFriday Harbor, WA1 of 436.5 ppt66
Perry Phillips Mobile HomesCoatesville, PA5 of 535.5 ppt60
Franklin Square WDFranklin Square, NY18 of 7632.4 ppt20,000
Eagleswood Village Mobile Home ParkWest Creek, NJ20 of 2032.0 ppt80
Home Gardens County Water DistrictCorona, CA448 of 73231.9 ppt3,095
City of Corona*Corona, CA448 of 73231.9 ppt168,751
Carle Place Water DistrictCarle Place, NY78 of 16431.9 ppt9,005
Collegeville Trappe Joint Public Works DepartmentTrappe, PA28 of 2831.9 ppt8,470
Vista Village Mobile Home ParkMorrisonville, NY13 of 1331.5 ppt43
Rolling Meadows Condos IExeter, NH1 of 131.3 ppt80
Oatman Water CompanyScottsdale, AZ2 of 231.0 ppt180
Rainbow City Utilities Board*Rainbow City, AL4 of 430.0 ppt12,363
Narraguagus EstatesCherryfield, ME4 of 529.5 ppt97
Parkersburg Water DepartmentDavisville, WV2 of 229.1 ppt34,251
Security Waster District*Colorado Springs, CO2 of 528.4 ppt19,000
Peu/harvest VillageNashua, NH1 of 127.9 ppt175
Century Village CondosLondonderry, NH1 of 127.2 ppt875
Olde Country VillageManchester, NH1 of 127.1 ppt130
City of Fountain*Fountain, CO9 of 1226.7 ppt25,130
Lca Emmaus Consecutive DivAllentown, PA25 of 2626.5 ppt1,046
Emmaus Borough Public Water*Emmaus, PA25 of 2626.5 ppt14,000
Beverly Village Public Water SystemWaterford, OH18 of 1826.2 ppt1,900
Williamstown Water DepartmentWilliamstown, WV2 of 226.1 ppt3,363
Block 77 Water CompanyNorco, CA1 of 123.0 ppt59
Delancy Street Foundation (castle)Brewster, NY21 of 2122.3 ppt48
Ho Ho Kus Water DepartmentHohokus Boro, NJ81 of 8122.3 ppt4,060
Holland Christian HomeNorth Haledon, NJ17 of 1921.9 ppt250
Little Brook Nursing HomCalifon, NJ17 of 1721.6 ppt36
Parker Ridge Retirement CommunityBlue Hill, ME8 of 821.1 ppt155
Hawthorne Water Department*Hawthorne, NJ65 of 7021.0 ppt19,458
Canton PWSCanton, MO5 of 520.8 ppt2,377
Ridgewood WaterRidgewood, NJ346 of 36520.7 ppt61,700
East Orange County Water District - RzOrange, CA21 of 2120.7 ppt3,222
Rolling Meadows Condos IIIExeter, NH1 of 120.6 ppt50

* This water utility supplies finished drinking water to at least one other water utility. The purchasing utility is not required to test for or report Perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA), but it likely has the contaminant in its water supply.

UtilityLocationTestsAverage levelPeople served
City of Vienna*Vienna, WV6 of 695.0 ppt12,507
OakdaleOakdale, MN103 of 20594.9 ppt28,303
Lubeck PsdBellville, WV1 of 289.8 ppt10,377
Rome*Rome, GA4 of 455.0 ppt45,586
South Orange Water DepartmentSouth Orange, NJ8 of 846.9 ppt16,964
Franklin Square WDFranklin Square, NY18 of 7632.4 ppt20,000
City of Corona*Corona, CA448 of 73231.9 ppt168,751
Rainbow City Utilities Board*Rainbow City, AL4 of 430.0 ppt12,363
Parkersburg Water DepartmentDavisville, WV2 of 229.1 ppt34,251
Security Waster District*Colorado Springs, CO2 of 528.4 ppt19,000
City of Fountain*Fountain, CO9 of 1226.7 ppt25,130
Emmaus Borough Public Water*Emmaus, PA25 of 2626.5 ppt14,000
Hawthorne Water Department*Hawthorne, NJ65 of 7021.0 ppt19,458
Ridgewood WaterRidgewood, NJ346 of 36520.7 ppt61,700
Veolia Delaware Operations*Wilmington, DE8 of 819.2 ppt100,495
Gadsden Water Works and Sewer Board*Gadsden, AL42 of 4218.9 ppt44,637
Merrimack Village District*Merrimack, NH98 of 10018.4 ppt25,000
Lincoln, City ofLincoln, AL1 of 1216.7 ppt10,218
Waldwick Water DepartmentWaldwick, NJ93 of 10616.6 ppt10,208
Verona Water Department*Chatham, NJ11 of 1816.4 ppt13,641
Southside Water Works*Southside, AL4 of 815.0 ppt11,535
Village of Palm Springs*Palm Springs, FL1 of 115.0 ppt32,467
San Juan Basin Authority*Las Flores, CA23 of 2914.9 ppt38,958
Delray Beach Water Department*Delray Beach, FL1 of 114.2 ppt69,754
Livingston Twp Div of WaterLivingston, NJ227 of 22714.2 ppt27,391
Fort RileyFort Riley, KS2 of 214.1 ppt35,784
Oakland Water Department*Oakland, NJ69 of 7013.8 ppt12,754
United Water RahwayRahway, NJ41 of 4913.3 ppt27,300
Shelby County Water System*Columbiana, AL16 of 1612.9 ppt35,982
Poughkeepsie Townwide Water District*Poughkeepsie, NY4 of 912.6 ppt52,277
City of Pembroke PinesPembroke Pines, FL2 of 212.3 ppt187,459
Brookwood Comm. Water SystemDenver, NC14 of 2012.3 ppt15,665
Downey Water DepartmentDowney, CA165 of 17412.1 ppt109,946
Florence Township Water DepartmentFlorence, NJ18 of 1812.1 ppt11,214
Perth Amboy Water DepartmentPerth Amboy, NJ22 of 2211.8 ppt52,328
Clanton Water DepartmentClanton, AL11 of 1411.8 ppt13,500
Galesburg*Galesburg, IL16 of 1711.6 ppt31,745
Pico WDPico Rivera, CA63 of 6611.6 ppt22,051
Montebello Land & Water CompanyMontebello, CA129 of 13611.4 ppt26,554
Lantana Water Treatment PlantLantana, FL2 of 211.3 ppt11,558
Warminster Municipal AuthorityWarminster, PA83 of 39811.2 ppt40,000
United Water NJ*Highland Lakes, NJ137 of 13710.9 ppt792,713
Conway RuralConway, SC1 of 110.9 ppt10,823
Cal-am Water Company - DuarteRosemead, CA35 of 8610.9 ppt24,703
University of Rhode IslandKingston, RI13 of 1410.9 ppt19,354
United Water CamdenCamden, NJ83 of 11010.8 ppt46,585
Town of Elkton*Elkton, MD3 of 410.8 ppt15,625
Harnett County Department of Public Utilities*Lillington, NC3 of 510.7 ppt109,415
Park Water Company - Bell GardensDowney, CA14 of 1810.6 ppt11,292
Pico Rivera Water DepartmentPico Rivera, CA153 of 15710.6 ppt40,600

* This water utility supplies finished drinking water to at least one other water utility. The purchasing utility is not required to test for or report Perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA), but it likely has the contaminant in its water supply.

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