2022 WATER QUALITY REPORT page 6
DO YOU HAVE PFAS QUESTIONS ?
The U . S . EPA released a proposal on March 14 , 2023 for the first National Primary Drinking Water standards for six perand polyfluoroalkyl substances , also known as PFAS . PFAS substances have been used since the 1940s in industry and consumer products like nonstick cookware and fire fighting foam , according to the EPA . Because these substances break down slowly and can build up in the environment over time , they have gained the nickname “ forever chemicals .” PFAS compounds have been found in water , air , and soil .
Humans can ingest PFAS through a variety of foods , drinking water , or even through inhaling contaminated dust particles . Exposure to PFAS substances has been shown to have harmful effects on humans , especially when exposure is over long periods of time or during pregnancy or breast feeding .
Some of the health effects linked to these compounds by the EPA include cancers , heart attacks , strokes , and developmental ( birth weight ) problems .
The EPA has not had regulations in the past for the six PFAS chemicals in the March 14 announcement . However , some PFAS substances were included in a previous round of testing conducted and reported under the EPA ’ s Unregulated Contaminants Monitoring Rule .
That rule , which is referred to as the UCMR , requires public water systems around the country to periodically test for unregulated compounds and report any occurrences . Each round of nationwide UCMR testing is referred to by a number , such as UCMR1 , UCMR2 , etc . Arlington Water Utilities tested for six PFAS substances in 2014 that were part of the UCMR3 round of testing . No detections of the PFAS chemicals were made in Arlington . The analytical methods used at the time would have reflected as little as 50 parts per trillion of the substances in Arlington ’ s tap water . ( One part per trillion is about a drop of water in 20 Olympic-sized pools .)
Though the new rules proposed in March 2023 won ’ t take effect until later this year , Arlington Water Utilities and other utilities throughout Texas are already making plans to test for PFAS compounds as part of a fresh round of Unregulated Contaminants Monitoring Rule , called UCMR5 . Arlington will begin UCMR5 testing of PFAS compounds in June 2023 . Results from the first round of UCMR testing will be reported to the EPA a few months later . In this round of testing , the detection levels possible with newer analytical methods used will be much lower – at 4 ppt for most PFAS on the list .
To learn more about this process , visit the Arlington Water Utilities web page at ArlingtonTX . gov / Water and click on the Drinking Water Quality Questions tab .
WINNERS OF THE VALUE OF WATER MINI-POSTER CONTEST 2022
PREK KINDERGARTEN
FIRST GRADE
Ruby | Pope Elementary Daniella | Goodman Elementary
Kayra | Viridian Elementary
SECOND GRADE THIRD GRADE
FOURTH GRADE
Smitika | Swift Elementary Audrey | Starrett Elementary Nancy | Ditto Elementary