In a startling revelation, a new federal study published on Wednesday unveils a troubling reality — almost half of the tap water in the United States is tainted with PFAS, commonly known as “forever chemicals.” PFAS refers to a group of synthetic compounds that degrade slowly and are frequently used in everyday items like cookware and food packaging.
Half the nation’s tap water is contaminated with “forever chemicals.” Thirsty, anyone?https://t.co/nN99XnmUmZ
— Robert F. Kennedy Jr (@RobertKennedyJr) July 9, 2023
The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has established a connection between PFAS exposure and a range of severe health issues, including developmental delays in children, fertility problems, obesity, and cancer. Additional side effects include abnormal cholesterol levels, hormone suppression, and liver damage.
Alarmed by the potential risks, the EPA issued a health advisory last summer, recognizing the greater danger of exposure. In response, the agency revised its guidelines, reducing the acceptable risk exposure from 70 parts per trillion to nearly zero for two of the most extensively studied chemicals, PFOA and PFOS.
The data, published by the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS), exposes the extent of the problem. The study, conducted between 2016 and 2021, examined samples from 716 locations nationwide and found that 45 percent of the nation’s tap water contained at least one or more types of PFAS.
Although researchers analyzed only 32 types of PFAS out of over 12,000 known compounds, the findings are concerning. The study’s lead author, USGS research hydrologist Kelly Smalling, emphasized the comprehensive nature of the research.
By testing water directly from people’s kitchen taps, the scientists provided the most extensive study to date on PFAS in tap water, encompassing both private wells and public supplies. Notably, PFAS concentrations were found to be similar between public supplies and private wells.
With six out of ten Americans currently living with at least one chronic disease, experts project an epidemic of chronic illnesses for future generations.
Dr. Keith Nichols, a certified member of the American Academy of Endocrinology and CEO of Tier 1 Health and Wellness, attributes the nation’s health crisis to diminishing testosterone levels caused by endocrine-disrupting chemicals. Since the 1980s, testosterone levels have dropped by double digits and continue to decline with each succeeding generation.
Anthony Jay, president of the International Medical Research Collaborative, has been warning about the proliferation of estrogenic substances in our daily lives. In his book, “Estrogeneration: How Estrogenics Are Making You Fat, Sick, and Infertile,” Jay dedicates an entire section to substances found in supposedly “clean” drinking water.
He discovered that city water treatment plants are ineffective at removing estrogenic compounds, such as phthalates and atrazine, leaving room for even more pollutants to go undetected. Jay insists these chemicals should never have been legal, emphasizing the need for individuals to take responsibility for filtering their drinking water, ideally, those containing activated charcoal.
The alarming findings of the federal study demand urgent attention and action from both governmental agencies and individuals. Safeguarding our water sources from harmful contaminants is crucial to protect public health and mitigate the long-term consequences of consuming toxic water.
