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.
The presence of PFOA and PFOS in our drinking water supplies are a source of concern for many Canadian citizens. The pollution from these chemicals is both dangerous and widespread. In this article, we will take a closer look at this issue and examine a method to secure a better quality of water for you and your family.
What are PFOA and PFOS?
These are both toxic chemicals that belong to the Perfluorinated Compounds (PFC) family. Perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA) and Perfluorooctanesulfonic acid (PFOS) have both been used in recent decades to manufacture a wide variety of goods, such as adhesives, cookware, and clothing. During the manufacturing process smoke is released containing these chemicals, it later drifts to the ground and is dissolved in rainwater. Then these chemicals runoff into waterways or seep through the soil and rock to enter groundwater supplies.
The Federal-Provincial-Territorial Committee on Drinking Water (CDW) is responsible for establishing and maintaining the Guidelines for Canadian Drinking Water Quality and CDW has recognised these chemicals as toxic, they are now subject to severe restrictions, but these chemicals can linger in the environment for decades.
What are the Health Consequences of PFOA and PFOS?
Both of these chemicals are carcinogenic, they have been linked with an increased health risk for six serious diseases so far, they are Ulcerative Colitis, Thyroid Cancer, Testicular Cancer, Kidney Cancer, Pregnancy Induced Hypertension and Diagnosed High Cholesterol. Pregnant women are particularly at risk as some studies have linked these chemicals to fetal growth issues and the delivery of underweight babies. This science is still contested, but the deleterious effects of PFOA and PFOS are more pronounced in the unborn and young children.
Is There Testing for These Chemicals in Drinking Water?
The short answer is yes, testing is carried out to determine the presence of PFOA and PFOS. A combined limit has been set, and the exposure has dropped since the introduction of more stringent regulations in manufacturing processes. Despite this the threat of exposure still remains, it can be difficult to test groundwater supplies and those supplied by private well need to take care. The exposure risks from these chemicals may be lower and yet more widespread across the country. Given the health risks, it would be prudent to have your water supply tested and/or install an additional water treatment system for peace of mind.
How Can You Remove These Chemicals from Your Drinking Water?
The highest risks of PFOA and PFOS exposure would be in residential areas near locations, such as airports, factories, and military facilities. Any residents in these areas should get their water tested by a trusted source. It is possible to remove these chemicals from your drinking water, but a basic water filtration system will not be sufficient. A local water treatment specialist will understand the specific water conditions in your area and be able to offer expert advice. It’s likely that they would recommend filtrations systems that are designed to remove over 95% of these chemicals. Another good solution would be to install a reverse osmosis water treatment system.