The Environmental Protection Agency implemented a new national standard limiting "forever chemical" PFAS in drinking water, which requires utilities like Goodyear Water Services and Liberty Utilities in Litchfield Park to reduce these chemicals to the lowest level they can be reliably measured.
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the blood of nearly all Americans is contaminated with PFAS. Studies also show exposure to very low levels of PFAS can increase cancer risk and harm fetal development.
The new EPA standard is four parts per trillion for perfluoroalkyl and polyfluoroalkyl substances, better known as PFAS. Years prior, the standard was 40 ppt and before that, 70 ppt. The standard continually lowered each year with advanced testing and study on the impacts of the chemical.
