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EWG's Tap Water Database — 2021 UPDATE

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Perfluoroheptane sulfonic acid (PFHpS)

Status: No national drinking water standard exists

 

Perfluoroheptane sulfonic acid (PFHpS) is a member of a group of perfluorinated chemicals used in many consumer products. PFHpS 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

13

utilities detected

309,000

people served

0

states over health guideline

0

utilities over health guideline

0

people served over health guideline

Health concerns for PFHpS

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 PFHpS 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 PFHpS in drinking water

UTILITIES WITH CONTAMINATION
State UtilitiesPeople Served
Wisconsin5238,297
North Carolina666,886
New Hampshire23,735
MORE
LESS

Filtering technologies that reduce PFHpS

Activated Carbon

Reverse Osmosis

Utilities with the highest amounts of PFHpS, 2017-2019

ALL UTILITIES
LARGE UTILITIES
UtilityLocationTestsAverage levelPeople served
Selma, Town ofSelma, NC1 of 11.40 ppt6,120
City of Goldsboro*Goldsboro, NC1 of 11.30 ppt34,959
Seymour Johnson Air Force BaseSeymour Johnson, NC1 of 11.30 ppt6,875
Jaffrey Water WorksJaffrey, NH2 of 50.970 ppt3,612
College View Mobile Home ParkWilmington, NC2 of 40.356 ppt90
Prolyn Townhouse ApartmentsPelham, NH1 of 20.200 ppt123
Madison Water Utility*Madison, WI1 of 120.0240 ppt235,000
Maple Bluff WaterworksMadison, WI1 of 120.0240 ppt1,342
Shorewood Hills WaterworksMadison, WI1 of 120.0240 ppt1,670
Rimrock Road NeighborhoodFitchburg, WI1 of 120.0240 ppt135
Danville Drive Service AreaFitchburg, WI1 of 120.0240 ppt150

* 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 Perfluoroheptane sulfonic acid (PFHpS), but it likely has the contaminant in its water supply.

UtilityLocationTestsAverage levelPeople served
City of Goldsboro*Goldsboro, NC1 of 11.30 ppt34,959
Madison Water Utility*Madison, WI1 of 120.0240 ppt235,000

* 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 Perfluoroheptane sulfonic acid (PFHpS), but it likely has the contaminant in its water supply.