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EWG's Tap Water Database — 2021 UPDATE

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Perfluoropentane sulfonic acid (PFPeS)

Status: No national drinking water standard exists

 

Perfluoropentane sulfonic acid (PFPeS) is a member of a group of perfluorinated chemicals used in many consumer products. PFPeS and other perfluorinated chemicals can cause serious health effects, including cancer, endocrine disruption, accelerated puberty, liver and immune system damage, and thyroid changes. These chemicals are persistent in the environment and they accumulate in people. Click here to read more about perfluorinated chemicals.

2017-2019:

FOUND
FOUND ABOVE HEALTH GUIDELINES

3

states detected

63

utilities detected

2.0 million

people served

0

states over health guideline

0

utilities over health guideline

0

people served over health guideline

Health concerns for PFPeS

Cancer

Harm to the immune system

Hormone disruption

Harm to fetal growth and child development

Harm to the liver

State and national drinking water standards and health guidelines

EWG Health Guideline 1 ppt

The EWG Health Guideline of 1 ppt for PFPeS was defined by EWG as based on studies by Phillipe Grandjean of Harvard University and many other independent researchers who found reduced effectiveness of vaccines and adverse impacts on mammary gland development from exposure to PFOA and PFOS, the two PFAS most widely detected in drinking water. This health guideline protects against applies to the entire class of PFAS detected in water.

ppt = parts per trillion

States reporting PFPeS in drinking water

UTILITIES WITH CONTAMINATION
State UtilitiesPeople Served
North Carolina551,731,459
Wisconsin5238,297
New Hampshire328,735
MORE
LESS

Filtering technologies that reduce PFPeS

Activated Carbon

Reverse Osmosis

Utilities with the highest amounts of PFPeS, 2017-2019

ALL UTILITIES
LARGE UTILITIES
UtilityLocationTestsAverage levelPeople served
Jaffrey Water WorksJaffrey, NH1 of 59.26 ppt3,612
City of Greensboro*Greensboro, NC2 of 22.30 ppt290,201
Tanglewood South Mobile Home Park/fayetteville Public Works CommissionCharlotte, NC2 of 22.00 ppt259
Kelly Hill S/dHampstead, NC2 of 22.00 ppt109
Brettonwood Hills S/dHampstead, NC2 of 22.00 ppt187
Eastgate S/d Fayetteville Public Works CommissionCharlotte, NC2 of 22.00 ppt205
Brookwood South/fayetteville Public Works CommissionHampstead, NC2 of 22.00 ppt2,357
Stedman, Town of*Stedman, NC2 of 22.00 ppt1,506
Fayetteville Public Works Commission*Fayetteville, NC2 of 22.00 ppt217,948
Hoke County Regional--rockfishRaeford, NC2 of 22.00 ppt5,778
Rain Tree II Fayetteville Public Works CommissionHampstead, NC2 of 22.00 ppt292
Selma, Town ofSelma, NC1 of 11.90 ppt6,120
Chapel Ridge S/dCary, NC1 of 11.50 ppt798
Pittsboro, Town of*Pittsboro, NC1 of 11.50 ppt4,401
Pender County UtilitiesBurgaw, NC1 of 11.50 ppt24,236
Liberty, Town ofLiberty, NC1 of 11.30 ppt3,558
Bladen Bluffs Water SystemTarheel, NC1 of 11.30 ppt4,589
City of Goldsboro*Goldsboro, NC1 of 11.20 ppt34,959
Seymour Johnson Air Force BaseSeymour Johnson, NC1 of 11.20 ppt6,875
Prolyn Townhouse ApartmentsPelham, NH2 of 21.10 ppt123
Siler City, City of*Siler City, NC1 of 11.10 ppt8,501
Town of Smithfield*Smithfield, NC1 of 11.10 ppt12,400
South Granville Water and Sewer AuthorityButner, NC1 of 11.000 ppt19,216
Neuse Regional Water and Sewer Authority*La Grange, NC1 of 11.000 ppt93,238
Town of WhitsettWhitsett, NC1 of 20.800 ppt89
Gibsonville, Town ofGibsonville, NC1 of 20.800 ppt7,129
Ossipee, Town ofElon, NC1 of 20.800 ppt2,390
Village of AlamanceAlamance, NC1 of 20.800 ppt1,100
ElonElon, NC1 of 20.800 ppt11,400
Haw River, Town of*Haw River, NC1 of 20.800 ppt2,421
City of Burlington*Burlington, NC1 of 20.800 ppt54,000
Madison Water Utility*Madison, WI3 of 120.692 ppt235,000
Maple Bluff WaterworksMadison, WI3 of 120.692 ppt1,342
Shorewood Hills WaterworksMadison, WI3 of 120.692 ppt1,670
Rimrock Road NeighborhoodFitchburg, WI3 of 120.692 ppt135
Danville Drive Service AreaFitchburg, WI3 of 120.692 ppt150
College View Mobile Home ParkWilmington, NC4 of 40.674 ppt90
Skybrook North S/dCharlotte, NC1 of 20.650 ppt297
Providence Manor S/dHarrisburg, NC1 of 20.650 ppt379
City of Concord*Concord, NC1 of 20.650 ppt107,188
Shiloh Church Road S/dKannapolis, NC1 of 20.650 ppt2,532
Springdale S/dDenver, NC1 of 20.650 ppt124
Zemosa Acres Water SystemCharlotte, NC1 of 20.650 ppt650
City of High Point*High Point, NC1 of 20.600 ppt114,183
Glynnwood Mobile Home ParkHampstead, NC1 of 20.347 ppt208
Rocklyn Subdivision Phase 2Raleigh, NC1 of 30.333 ppt89
City of Winston-Salem*Pfafftown, NC1 of 30.333 ppt371,063
Yorktown S/dCharlotte, NC1 of 30.333 ppt272
Stokesdale, Town ofStokesdale, NC1 of 30.333 ppt1,143
Stokes County Water & Sewer AuthorityDanbury, NC1 of 30.333 ppt420

* This water utility supplies finished drinking water to at least one other water utility. The purchasing utility is not required to test for or report Perfluoropentane sulfonic acid (PFPeS), but it likely has the contaminant in its water supply.

UtilityLocationTestsAverage levelPeople served
City of Greensboro*Greensboro, NC2 of 22.30 ppt290,201
Fayetteville Public Works Commission*Fayetteville, NC2 of 22.00 ppt217,948
Pender County UtilitiesBurgaw, NC1 of 11.50 ppt24,236
City of Goldsboro*Goldsboro, NC1 of 11.20 ppt34,959
Town of Smithfield*Smithfield, NC1 of 11.10 ppt12,400
South Granville Water and Sewer AuthorityButner, NC1 of 11.000 ppt19,216
Neuse Regional Water and Sewer Authority*La Grange, NC1 of 11.000 ppt93,238
City of Burlington*Burlington, NC1 of 20.800 ppt54,000
ElonElon, NC1 of 20.800 ppt11,400
Madison Water Utility*Madison, WI3 of 120.692 ppt235,000
City of Concord*Concord, NC1 of 20.650 ppt107,188
City of High Point*High Point, NC1 of 20.600 ppt114,183
City of Winston-Salem*Pfafftown, NC1 of 30.333 ppt371,063
Cape Fear Public Utility Authority - WilmingtonWilmington, NC2 of 110.209 ppt153,202
Merrimack Village District*Merrimack, NH9 of 470.0820 ppt25,000

* This water utility supplies finished drinking water to at least one other water utility. The purchasing utility is not required to test for or report Perfluoropentane sulfonic acid (PFPeS), but it likely has the contaminant in its water supply.