How to Best Test Your Drinking Water for PFAS
Whether you have been informed that you need to have your water tested, or you just have some suspicions that something is wrong, it is important to know the best way to get your water tested. Water can be contaminated with a wide variety of pollutants that include a particularly persistent group of chemicals called PFAS.
1. A Brief Overview about PFAS
Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) are a group of man-made chemicals that have been manufactured around the world since the 1940’s. The PFAS chemicals group includes PFOA, PFOS, GenX, as well as other chemicals. PFAS have been used in numerous industries around the globe, including in water- and stain-repellent fabrics, nonstick products (i.e., Teflon), paints, polishes, waxes, cleaning products, and fire-fighting foams. PFOA and PFOS have been the most extensively produced and widely studied of the PFAS. The trouble with these chemicals is that they are very persistent in the human body and in the environment – which simply means they don’t break down and therefore will build up over time. And evidence supports the concern that exposure to PFAS can lead to human health problems.
2. Reasons for Pollution of Drinking Water by PFAS
Because PFAS are such long lasting chemicals they do not just break down and dissipate easily. Instead they build up in the soil, water, human bodies, and even livestock. Even though their production has been halted in the US, other countries continue to produce it and use it on and in products we import.
The main reason for PFAS in drinking water is primarily associated with their production (teflon, paints, cleaning agents), their usage in large quantities (cleaners, fire fighting on air bases) or from landfills. Therefore most problems can be traced back to these sites and to homes, wells, water systems near these sites. However, water does move and these persistent chemicals, as they leach through the soil, can pollute water supplies that either move to other areas or are tapped for use from wider areas.
It is for this reason that the EPA has encouraged people who have suspicions or who want to have peace of mind to pursue drinking water testing procedures.
3. Different Methods of Testing for PFAS in Drinking Water
Although there are a number of options available for testing for PFAS in drinking water, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has evaluated the effectiveness of several of these methods and has concluded that Method 537 is a very reliable method of testing. There are also a number of modified versions of this test available at lower costs, but when the EPA Office of Water requires PFAS testing be done they also require that Method 537 be performed. Testing Laboratories in the US are certified for drinking water testing procedures by the EPA as well as the Department of Defense (DoD) and the National Environmental Laboratory Accreditation Conference (NELAC). Each may recommend its own testing methods.
When actually pursuing a test for PFAS in drinking water it is recommended that you find a certified laboratory. Different laboratories will offer different testing kits that will test for a range of the most common PFAS analytes (between 6 and 18 different analytes depending on the testing kit). The drinking water testing procedures used in Method 537 test for 18 different analytes.
4. The Benefits of PFAS Testing
The most obvious benefit is that in some cases testing will be required by law and you will do the right thing and fulfill that requirement. But even for those of you who are not required to test, there are benefits. Peace of mind is a big one if you suspect that there may be issues with your water source or have health concerns for your family and your future.
Even if your tests come back with bad news about elevated levels of PFAS there will be options available to you for mitigating the problem and for identifying short term measures to get clean water for drinking, cooking and cleaning. It is not true that what you don’t know can’t hurt you when it comes to these forever contaminants.
Finally, these drinking water testing procedures, especially when performed by a certified laboratory, will also give you a wealth of other vital information about your drinking water. This valuable information will help you either gain greater peace of mind or push you to find further solutions to your drinking water problems and the root of their causes.
5. Conclusion
If there is even a whiff of a suspicion that your drinking water needs to be tested for substances that should not be there, it is a great idea to get in touch with a laboratory that is certified for testing drinking water.
Torrent Laboratory is certified to test for a full list of PFAS in drinking water by the Department of Defense, the Department of Energy and the state of California. These certifications are some of the most respected in the nations and reveal our abilities to meet the highest levels of accuracy. We guarantee that we can reliably test your drinking water for PFAS.
Our laboratory employs only the most highly qualified and experienced chemists. Our testing laboratory is state of the art with all the newest technologies and most advanced capabilities in order to ensure the most accurate test results to the lowest reporting levels. You can be assured that when you test with us you will receive many advantages including:
- Fastest possible TATs in the industry
- Unrivaled technical and customer support
- Unparalleled on-time performance
- Impeccable quality
- Competitive pricing
- Convenient geographic location
Our multi-certified PFAS testing for the full list of PFAS compounds allows Torrent Laboratory to offer the most accurate testing for PFAS in drinking water. Our full-service lab also offers the fastest turnaround time in the industry. All of this means you get the vital information you need with the greatest accuracy, assurance and timeliness.
