With more than 30 years’ experience in the residential and commercial water treatment space, Mark Nelson is a Class 1 Drinking-Water Operator and a CBWA (Canadian Bottled Water Association) Certified Plant Operator. As founder and president of Nelson Water in Ottawa, Mark focuses on dealing with challenging water treatment system designs for problem water. He also heads the largest water bottling plant in the city of Ottawa with a delivery network throughout the Valley.

While water in the first world tends to be of the highest quality, there are still potential contaminant issues that can compromise the safety of your water. One group of chemicals that has recently received media attention is PFCs. Two of the most common are PFOA and PFOS, so should you be concerned about these chemicals in your drinking water? In this article, we’ll explore the effects of these chemicals in water supplies and what you can do to ensure that you and your family are protected.

The PFOA and PFOS Basics

Both PFOA (Perfluorooctanoic acid) and PFOS (Perfluorooctanesulfonic acid) are artificial, toxic chemicals within the PFC family. These chemicals have been cited by Health Canada, the EPA, and other regulatory bodies as a threat to public health.

These chemicals were introduced into the environment through manufacturing processes. For decades both PFOA and PFOS were used to produce items such as cookware, adhesives, and clothing. The emissions from these factories allowed the chemicals to be released, and rainwater dissolved them, allowing them to pass through the soil and enter the groundwater.

PFOA and PFOS have started to be phased out of production, but these chemicals can linger within water supplies for years.

The Health Implications:

PFOA and PFOS have been shown to be carcinogenic, and water supplies contaminated with these chemicals is linked with an increased risk of several health issues. These include:

  • Kidney Cancer
  • Thyroid Cancer
  • Testicular Cancer
  • Ulcerative Colitis
  • Diagnosed High Cholesterol
  • Pregnancy Induced Hypertension

These chemicals pose a particular health risk for pregnant women. There are studies that have linked PFOA and PFOS with fetal growth problems, including low birth weights. Generally, the health effects of these chemicals are higher for unborn babies and young children.

The main concern for PFOA and PFOS is bioaccumulation. Like lead, these chemicals can build up inside the body over time. This means that even small, consistent does can pose a danger.

A 2004 American research study concluded that 99.7% of the American population had PFOA in their bodies, with an average of 4 parts per billion in the blood serum. Fortunately, this number has declined since manufacturers phased PFOA out in recent years. However, it does highlight that this is a widespread issue that needs attention.

Testing for PFOA and PFOS

Health Canada has proposed maximum acceptable concentration levels of 0.0002 mg/l for PFOA and 0.0006 mg/l for PFOS in drinking water supplies. These are advisory levels and are not yet enforced. This means that there is no legal cap on the levels of PFOS and PFOA in public drinking water supplies, and water providers are not required to test for these chemicals.

There has yet to be comprehensive testing here in Canada, but in American testing, PFOA was found in drinking water supplies for 6.5 million people, in 94 public water systems across 27 states. While most of the samples were below the EPA advisory level, the average in some states was as much as 175 times higher than the EPA recommended limit.

This suggests that PFOS and PFOA are more widespread across both the USA and Canada, including small water systems and private wells. So, your water supply may be particularly vulnerable to PFOA and PFOS contamination if you live near factories, military sites, or airports.

Unfortunately, both PFOS and PFOA are invisible to the human senses. This means that even if your water supply does contain higher levels of these chemicals, you will not be able to taste or smell them, or notice a difference in the appearance of your water. The only reliable way to determine if your water supply is contaminated by PFOS and PFOA is with laboratory testing.

How to Remove PFOS and PFOA From Your Drinking Water

Generally, PFOA and PFOS resist most conventional water treatment technologies. Fortunately, there are ways to remove these chemicals from your water supply, including reverse osmosis, ion exchange, and granular activated carbon filtration.

Your water treatment specialist can guide you through the treatment options. Your ultimate decision will depend on the other contaminants in your water supply. For example, if you have hard water, an ion exchange system may be most appropriate. This type of water treatment system can remove the magnesium and calcium ions, in addition to any PFOA and PFOS. On the other hand, reverse osmosis may be more appropriate if you have other underlying water quality issues. RO systems can remove up to 99% of contaminants including viruses, metals, and chemicals

Protecting Your Family

Some experts suggest that a water pitcher or under sink filtration unit should be sufficient to limit your exposure to PFOA and PFOS. Unfortunately, this may not be enough. There is some research to suggest that these chemicals can be dermally absorbed. This means that every time you bathe or shower in contaminated water, you are being exposed to these harmful chemicals.

To eliminate this risk, you should consider a whole house or point of entry system. This will ensure that all of the water entering your home is treated before reaching your fixtures and water using appliances. This can also be helpful if you have contaminant issues that cause water staining or issues with your water using appliances, since the water is free of contaminants after the point the water supply enters your home.

If you’re unsure whether this is the right option for your home, be sure to discuss it with your water treatment specialist.

If you have concerns about PFOA and PFOS in your water supply, be sure to speak to your local water treatment technician. An experienced professional can not only test your water for contaminant levels, but also guide you through the treatment solutions that are most appropriate for the characteristics of your water supply. This will ensure that you and your family are protected against dangerous chemicals and other potentially harmful contaminants.