Are you affected by elevated 'forever chemicals' in Lancaster city area drinking water?
People served by the Lancaster city water system can keep drinking tap water despite a warning about an elevated level of a "forever chemical," but a local medical expert says that those with an elevated level in their water should use filtration.
Water from one of Lancaster city's two treatment plants tested above the state limit for perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA), a chemical part of a group known as forever chemicals, or perfluoroalkyl and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS). They are called forever chemicals because once they are released into the environment they do not break down.
Recent testing at the plant brought its running annual average for PFOA to 16 parts per trillion, which is above the state mandate of no more than 14 parts per trillion as a running annual average, according to a notice from the city . The test that pushed the running annual average above the state limit showed a level of 30.4 parts per trillion at the Conestoga Treatment Plant.
Water systems are found to be in violation if their running annual averages for PFOA or perfluorooctanesulfonic acid (PFOS) rise above maximum contaminant levels, and are required to notify the public about violations, according to the state Department of Environmental Protection website .
Testing mandated by the state began in January, and systems with elevated levels over the first year must complete follow-up testing every three months and take corrective actions if those follow-up tests continue to show elevated PFAS levels.
"It's important to note that this is not considered an emergency; residents were notified as a precautionary measure, and there is no need to switch to an alternative water supply unless advised by a doctor due to specific health concerns," said city spokesperson Amber Strazzo Righter.
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As of now, there are no specific plans for how to improve water quality at the Conestoga Treatment Plant. Righter said the city is evaluating possible adjustments to the plant's water treatment process. According to the notice, the issue is expected to be resolved within 12 months.
Residents can check whether their water is affected by the test results via the city's map, which shows areas with elevated PFOA levels in red: lanc.news/PFOAnotice . The majority of Lancaster city — as well as areas to the north, south and east — are affected.
Exposure to levels of forever chemicals that exceed state limits "over many years" may lead to adverse health effects, according to the city's Oct. 11 notice about the elevated running annual average.
PFAS have been linked to immune system issues, cancer, liver damage and other health problems, said Dr. Alan Peterson, emeritus director of environmental and community medicine at Penn Medicine Lancaster General Health. The chemicals, which have been used in a wide range of commercial applications from clothes to furniture to firefighting foam, are found in more than 99% of Americans, and no treatments exist to remove them from the body, Peterson said.
People whose water contains elevated levels of PFAS should use "proven effective filters, such as activated carbon filters or reverse osmosis filtration," Peterson said.
Jim Sandoe, an Ephrata resident who raises awareness of the risks of PFAS, recommends going to the website of the Environmental Working Group, EWG.org , to learn about filters that have been tested against PFAS.
Bottled water can be an option for people who can't afford filters, but isn't necessarily free of PFAS, he said. Sandoe pointed to Consumer Reports testing of bottled water, which shows PFAS levels in samples from different brands: lanc.news/water .
PFAS contamination is widespread in America, and the cost of addressing the problem is "considerable," said Dave B. Arscott, executive director, president and research scientist at Stroud Water Research Center. Water providers can address the issue by adding new treatment and filtration technologies, like granulated active carbon filters or reverse osmosis, or by identifying and cleaning up the PFAS sources in the watershed, he said.
