PER and polyfluorical substances, commonly known as PFAS,
are a large group of human made chemicals used to
make a wide variety of stain resistant water.
Resistant and nonstick. Consumer products are known as forever chemicals
because they're so durable,
they're so difficult to destroy.
And so you might imagine,
you know, it takes, it takes some energy and take
some effort to safely dispose of these.
But the contaminants, sometimes referred to as forever chemicals,
is harmful. The state Department of Health says PFAS stay
in the environment for a long time and can harm
human health if they build up to high levels in
the body. This is a chemical that has already affected
drinking water in many communities across Washington,
so there's people that have personal exposure,
personal experience with this, and a lot of concerns out
there.
the US Environmental Protection Agency set a new drinking water
standard by lowering the maximum contaminant levels of PFAS,
ultimately reducing exposure. DoH says putting the new standard into
action is a welcome transition,
since experts have already been testing more than 2400 water
systems statewide.
It does provide a level of certainty for our water
systems and for people that may be impacted across a
wide array of regulations and programs where NC LS are
used. But the EP as new standard does present new
challenges in Washington.
The federal Maximum Contaminant Levels are now lower than the
limits the Washington State Board of Health adopted in 2021.
DoH says so far 1228 systems have been tested and
30 system detected PFAS greater than the state action levels
now meeting the EPA's new standard could detect PFAS in
even more water systems in the state.
So DoH says it's working on a plan to increase
resources and tools to test and address affected water systems.
We do have some of what we need to be
able to accomplish the required,
you know, tracking the required testing of utilities and and
notifying them.
We also, like I said,
we're working on that request.
Of information that the legislature had to try and more
comprehensively define what it might actually take to address this.
And so that's that's still an action.
The PFS limit set in 2021 by the State Board
of Health will remain until the board adopts the new
federal levels,
DoH says. That adoption can take up to two years
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