Menu

EWG's Tap Water Database — 2021 UPDATE

Donate

Perfluorodecanoic acid (PFDA)

Status: No national drinking water standard exists

 

Perfluorooctane sulfonate (PFOS) is a member of a group of perfluorinated chemicals used in many consumer products. PFOS 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

6

states detected

84

utilities detected

3.0 million

people served

0

states over health guideline

0

utilities over health guideline

0

people served over health guideline

Health concerns for PFDA

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 PFDA 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 PFDA in drinking water

UTILITIES WITH CONTAMINATION
State UtilitiesPeople Served
California261,481,324
North Carolina531,426,127
Massachusetts176,377
Rhode Island138,000
New Hampshire2400
Virginia1325
MORE
LESS

Filtering technologies that reduce PFDA

Activated Carbon

Reverse Osmosis

Utilities with the highest amounts of PFDA, 2017-2019

ALL UTILITIES
LARGE UTILITIES
UtilityLocationTestsAverage levelPeople served
Danbury, Town ofDanbury, NC1 of 110.2 ppt250
Chapel Ridge S/dCary, NC1 of 19.20 ppt798
Pittsboro, Town of*Pittsboro, NC1 of 19.20 ppt4,401
Teachey, Town ofTeachey, NC1 of 17.00 ppt635
Wallace, Town of*Wallace, NC1 of 17.00 ppt5,825
Yadkin County - East Bend*Yadkinville, NC2 of 35.60 ppt25
Rocklyn Subdivision Phase 2Raleigh, NC2 of 35.60 ppt89
Stokesdale, Town ofStokesdale, NC2 of 35.60 ppt1,143
Stokes County Water & Sewer AuthorityDanbury, NC2 of 35.60 ppt420
Yorktown S/dCharlotte, NC2 of 35.60 ppt272
City of Winston-Salem*Pfafftown, NC2 of 35.60 ppt371,063
Lake Waccamaw, Town ofLake Waccamaw, NC1 of 15.40 ppt2,469
Cape Fear Public Utility Authority - New Hanover County*Wilmington, NC1 of 15.10 ppt29,052
Oyster Point S/dWilmington, NC1 of 15.10 ppt99
Linden, Town ofLinden, NC1 of 13.90 ppt1,973
Woodland Run Mobile Home S/dHampstead, NC1 of 13.90 ppt108
Angier, Town ofAngier, NC1 of 13.90 ppt7,612
Harnett County Department of Public Utilities*Lillington, NC1 of 13.90 ppt101,389
Coats, Town ofCoats, NC1 of 13.90 ppt2,692
Lillington Water SystemLillington, NC1 of 13.90 ppt3,883
Woodlake Water & Sewer Inc.Hampstead, NC1 of 13.90 ppt1,945
Town of Holly SpringsHolly Springs, NC1 of 13.90 ppt38,500
Graystone S/dFuquay-varina, NC1 of 13.90 ppt50
Bragg Communities/ntaFort Bragg, NC1 of 13.90 ppt3,733
Lillington Water System-riverbluffLillington, NC1 of 13.90 ppt93
Lillington Water System - VandercroftLillington, NC1 of 13.90 ppt718
East Moore Water District*Carthage, NC1 of 13.90 ppt6,436
Moore County Public Utilities-hidden Lakes S/dCarthage, NC1 of 13.90 ppt165
Pilot Mountain, Town ofPilot Mountain, NC1 of 13.80 ppt1,947
Davidson Water Inc.*Welcome, NC1 of 13.00 ppt147,455
Crestwood EstatesDenver, NC1 of 13.00 ppt223
Lancer AcresDenver, NC1 of 13.00 ppt86
Beard AcresDenver, NC1 of 13.00 ppt140
Lawrence Water WorksLawrence, MA1 of 12.94 ppt76,377
Bladen Bluffs Water SystemTarheel, NC1 of 12.20 ppt4,589
Golden HillStratham, NH1 of 12.02 ppt110
Montebello-city, Water DepartmentEl Monte, CA3 of 41.93 ppt6,962
City of Mount Airy*Mount Airy, NC1 of 21.90 ppt10,417
Greenfield Water SystemDenver, NC1 of 21.90 ppt244
Mocksville, Town ofMocksville, NC1 of 11.70 ppt5,425
Durham County Rougemont Water SystemDurham, NC1 of 11.60 ppt65
Surf City, Town ofSurf City, NC1 of 11.50 ppt5,606
Suburban Water Systems - WhittierCovina, CA7 of 121.26 ppt59,169
Davie County Water SystemMocksville, NC1 of 31.17 ppt29,947
Pico Rivera Water DepartmentPico Rivera, CA11 of 341.000 ppt39,000
City of Greensboro*Greensboro, NC1 of 20.950 ppt290,201
Montebello Land & Water CompanyMontebello, CA9 of 280.946 ppt32,219
Elsinore Valley Municipal Water District*Lake Elsinore, CA6 of 370.932 ppt142,264
San Juan Basin Authority*San Juan Capistrano, CA3 of 110.927 ppt0
City of Burlington*Burlington, NC1 of 20.900 ppt54,000

* 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 Perfluorodecanoic acid (PFDA) , but it likely has the contaminant in its water supply.

UtilityLocationTestsAverage levelPeople served
City of Winston-Salem*Pfafftown, NC2 of 35.60 ppt371,063
Cape Fear Public Utility Authority - New Hanover County*Wilmington, NC1 of 15.10 ppt29,052
Town of Holly SpringsHolly Springs, NC1 of 13.90 ppt38,500
Harnett County Department of Public Utilities*Lillington, NC1 of 13.90 ppt101,389
Davidson Water Inc.*Welcome, NC1 of 13.00 ppt147,455
Lawrence Water WorksLawrence, MA1 of 12.94 ppt76,377
City of Mount Airy*Mount Airy, NC1 of 21.90 ppt10,417
Suburban Water Systems - WhittierCovina, CA7 of 121.26 ppt59,169
Davie County Water SystemMocksville, NC1 of 31.17 ppt29,947
Pico Rivera Water DepartmentPico Rivera, CA11 of 341.000 ppt39,000
City of Greensboro*Greensboro, NC1 of 20.950 ppt290,201
Montebello Land & Water CompanyMontebello, CA9 of 280.946 ppt32,219
Elsinore Valley Municipal Water District*Lake Elsinore, CA6 of 370.932 ppt142,264
City of Burlington*Burlington, NC1 of 20.900 ppt54,000
ElonElon, NC1 of 20.900 ppt11,400
Westerly Water DepartmentWesterly, RI6 of 240.858 ppt38,000
Pico WDPico Rivera, CA2 of 90.467 ppt24,100
Yorba Linda Water DistrictYorba Linda, CA4 of 480.385 ppt77,513
Orchard Dale Water DistrictWhittier, CA3 of 150.367 ppt22,492
Monterey Park Water DepartmentMonterey Park, CA4 of 320.341 ppt62,183
City of Corona*Corona, CA9 of 780.313 ppt155,896
Valencia Water Company*Valencia, CA5 of 450.300 ppt117,251
City of StocktonLodi, CA1 of 80.288 ppt171,687
San Gabriel Valley Water Company- El Monte*El Monte, CA4 of 350.266 ppt226,904
California Water Service Company - East Los AngelesSan Jose, CA1 of 130.200 ppt150,446
Cape Fear Public Utility Authority - WilmingtonWilmington, NC1 of 110.109 ppt153,202

* 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 Perfluorodecanoic acid (PFDA) , but it likely has the contaminant in its water supply.