PFAS, The "Forever Chemicals" In Your Drinking Water

The recent wave of awareness surrounding PFAS has homeowners wondering what chemicals are in their water…

Where do these PFASs come from:

These chemicals are used in the production of countless different products and home goods, and have been for a very long time. Their use was particularly prominent in the early to mid 2000’s, but have seen a steady decline in use over the years. Unfortunately, it didn’t take very long for these chemicals to find their way into almost everything. 

Today, PFAS can be found in meat, packaging products, soil and the crops grown in that soil, municipal drinking water supplies and natural bodies of water as well. Naturally, this is fairly concerning since it seems as though their consumption is incredibly difficult to avoid. 

Consumption, Health Concerns and Dangers:

These chemicals were never intended to be ingested by humans, as is often the case with pollutants, but all it takes is time for these things to be mishandled and eventually leaked into the surrounding environment. The potential health concerns are numerous, particularly in the realm of fertility, pregnancy and early infancy.

According to the CDC pregnant women can develop high blood pressure and also experience decreases in infant birth weights, among other issues. More details can be found on their website here. Bear in mind that findings regarding the potential hazards of these PFAS are becoming more accurate over time, and may include more information in the future.

What can be done to avoid these chemicals:

The first and most pressing issue is removing these chemicals from your drinking water supply. It has been determined that Reverse Osmosis and Activated Carbon Filters are incredibly effective at removing PFAS from your drinking water. PFAS become dangerous when they have entered your bloodstream, so avoiding their consumption is the best way to avoid the health risks.

You will also want to stay tuned into local conditions and any information regarding possible contaminations in your area. In 2019, the FDA significantly expanded their testing methods and parameters for PFAS in food supplies, and have been able to more accurately track and regulate contamination sites.

Hurricane Home Solutions is a home contractor that specializes in high quality water purification systems for residential use. We frequently install the Reverse Osmosis systems that are recommended for filtering out PFAS from your drinking water. We also have Carbon Filter systems that effectively treat PFAS available for residential installations.

If you’re interested in learning more about water filtration systems that can combat the presence of PFAS in your water, consider giving us a call or submitting a form on our website with your questions. We are able to service a majority of New York and Northern Pennsylvania, and would be happy to help you with your water.