California Residents Learn of PFAS Contaminants Detected in Water Systems that Serve Millions

In March of last year, the California State Water Resources Control Board sent California Water Code (CWC) Section 13267 orders requiring soil and ground water samples to sites considered to be potential sources of per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS).
 
The sites were selected because they have facilities or activities that could be a potential source for this type of contamination. In October, the Los Angeles Times reported that over 600 wells across California were tested and the chemicals were detected in 86 of the water systems serving approximately 9 million residents.
 
PFAS are described by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) as a group of man-made chemicals that includes PFOA, PFOS, GenX and many other chemicals. PFAS have been manufactured and used in a variety of industries around the globe, including in the United States since the 1940s. PFOA and PFOS have been the most extensively produced and studied of these chemicals. Both chemicals are very persistent in the environment and in the human body – meaning they don’t break down and they can accumulate over time. The EPA also states that there is evidence that exposure to PFAS can lead to adverse human health effects.
 
“For the majority of people, the most likely way they will be exposed is by consuming PFAS-contaminated water or food, although it can also happen by using products that contain the chemicals,” said Jeff Bannon, Vice President of Environmental Services at Clark Seif Clark (CSC). “As far as human health effects are concerned, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) reports that exposure to low environmental levels of PFAS are uncertain. Studies of laboratory animals given large amounts of PFAS have found that some PFAS may affect growth and development, reproduction, thyroid function, the immune system and injure the liver.”
 
To help safeguard against exposure risks to PFAS, the environmental and industrial hygiene professionals at CSC offer consulting, testing and monitoring services for these and many other chemical contaminants. To learn more about PFAS or other environmental, occupational, health and safety testing services, please visit www.csceng.com, email csc@csceng.com or call (800) 807-1118. 
 
About Clark Seif Clark
CSC was established in 1989 to help clients in both public and private sectors address indoor air quality, occupational, environmental, and health and safety (EH&S) issues. CSC is a leading provider of these services with multiple offices along the western seaboard and southwest. The company believes in science-based protocols and has a strong background in engineering, making them the preferred environmental consultants to industrial clients, healthcare facilities, architects, schools, builders, contractors, developers and real estate professionals.
 

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