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PFAS - Forever Chemicals

You've probably heard them called "forever chemicals" — PFAS are a huge family of man-made compounds that don't break down, so they build up in the environment and in us. They've turned up in drinking water near industrial sites, military bases, and carpet and textile plants, and they're surprisingly widespread. The articles here break down how PFAS are detected, how you're actually exposed, and where the rules are heading — plus the part that matters most at home: getting them out. Reverse osmosis is the most reliable widely-available filter for the job. 🧪

RO membrane cross-section — the filtration stage that removes PFAS

A water treatment plant where municipal water is processed before reaching the tap

Navigating PFAS: Protecting Your Health from "Forever Chemicals"

Mar 1, 2025 15 min read

#well-water#city-water#pfas

PFAS is getting into your body through various ways. Let's explore what PFAS is and how we can reduce our exposure.

A government building reflected in water, representing the federal policy decisions that shape drinking-water quality

Potential Changes to Water Regulations

May 5, 2025 15 min read

#city-water#well-water#pfas

A look at potential shifts in U.S. water regulations in 2025 — how proposed changes to the Clean Water Act (WOTUS), the Safe Drinking Water Act, and rules for PFAS and lead could affect your tap water, for both city and well users.

A laboratory technician analyzing drinking water samples for trace contaminants

A Brief Review of the EPA's UCMR5 Data on Drinking Water Contaminants

Mar 16, 2025 15 min read

#pfas#genx#city-water

The Unregulated Contaminant Monitoring Rule (UCMR) is a program designed to gather data on substances suspected to be present in drinking water but not yet subject to regulation. Here's what its fifth cycle is telling us.

A clear glass of tap water on a kitchen counter, raising questions about hidden contaminants and reproductive health

Is the Water You're Drinking Slowly Making You Sterile?

Mar 8, 2025 10 min read

#edcs#pfas#genx

Some contaminants in drinking water are known endocrine-disrupting chemicals. Let's look at which ones are the most harmful and which biological systems they impact.

Related topics

GenX - Forever Chemicals GenX isn't a single chemical but a family of shorter-chain PFAS — best known by the compound HFPO-DA — that industry rolled out to replace older "forever chemicals" like PFOA. The idea was that smaller molecules would break down faster and be easier on the environment. In reality that hope hasn't held up: these newer compounds are just as persistent and have been tied to similar health harms. They turn up downstream of fluorochemical plants, where they reach the drinking water of hundreds of thousands. And since short-chain PFAS slip past many filters, reverse osmosis is your most reliable way to remove them. 🧪 Endocrine-Disrupting Chemicals (EDCs) Endocrine-disrupting chemicals (EDCs) are a sneaky bunch — even in tiny amounts they can mimic or block the hormones your body runs on. You'll find them in more places than you'd expect: pharmaceuticals, pesticides, and plastics like BPA, phthalates, and atrazine, plus everyday items from food packaging to cosmetics and textiles. Some make their way into drinking water, too. The good news is they're filterable — reverse osmosis paired with activated carbon is your most effective defense at the tap. 🧪 Well Water If you're on a private well, you're in charge of your own water — about 1 in 8 US households (roughly 23 million homes) are right there with you. The catch is that EPA drinking-water rules don't apply to private wells, so whatever's in your local aquifer flows straight to your tap: things like bacteria, nitrate from nearby farms, arsenic, and hard-water minerals are the usual suspects. The upside? With a yearly test and the right point-of-use filter, you've got full control over what you and your family actually drink. 🪣 City Water Your city water starts out treated, tested, and regulated at the plant — the tricky part is the trip to your tap. 🚰 Along the way it can pick up chlorine or chloramine taste and odor, disinfection byproducts that form in the pipes, and sometimes a little lead from older service lines. The good news: your utility publishes an annual water-quality report you can actually read, and a simple carbon or reverse-osmosis filter handles most of what's left. Water Quality Your home for getting the highest-quality water possible — not just "safe enough," but genuinely clean, healthy, and great-tasting. We cover what matters most: testing what's actually in your supply, the contaminants worth knowing about, and the treatment and filtration that take your water from acceptable to excellent. The golden rule? Know your water first — a few TDS readings, a look at your utility's report, and a test for the usual suspects like lead, nitrates, or PFAS. With that baseline, dialing in the perfect setup is easy. 💧

Related contaminants

HFPO-DA A perfluoroether carboxylic acid (GenX) developed by DuPont/Chemours as a PFOA replacement for fluoropolymer manufacturing. Federally regulated under EPA's 2024 PFAS NPDWR at MCL 10 ppt; widely detected in U.S. drinking water. PFOA An 8-carbon long-chain PFCA — IARC Group 1 carcinogen (2023); 2024 NPDWR individual MCL of 4 ppt with MCLG of zero. Legacy Teflon manufacturing chemistry, phased out by major U.S. producers post-2002. PFOS An 8-carbon long-chain PFSA — IARC Group 1 carcinogen (2023); 2024 NPDWR individual MCL of 4 ppt with MCLG of zero. Legacy 3M Scotchgard and AFFF chemistry, phased out 2000–2002 under EPA Stewardship.

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