Perfluorohexanoic Acid (PFHxA)
Status: No national drinking water standard exists
Perfluorohexanoic acid is a member of a group of perfluorinated chemicals used in many consumer products. 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.
Health concerns for perfluorohexanoic acid
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 perfluorohexanoic acid was defined by EWG 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 perfluorohexanoic acid in drinking water
UTILITIES WITH CONTAMINATION | |||
---|---|---|---|
State | Utilities | People Served | |
California | 128 | 9,223,710 | |
North Carolina | 155 | 3,538,589 | |
Massachusetts | 26 | 496,937 | |
Rhode Island | 21 | 454,721 | |
New Hampshire | 69 | 389,271 | |
Wisconsin | 5 | 238,297 | |
Alaska | 7 | 115,049 | |
Michigan | 6 | 113,307 | |
Minnesota | 2 | 65,215 | |
Maine | 5 | 6,575 | |
Virginia | 1 | 325 |
Filtering technologies that reduce perfluorohexanoic acid
Activated Carbon
Reverse Osmosis
Utilities with the highest amounts of perfluorohexanoic acid, 2013-2019
Utility | Location | Tests | Average level | People served |
---|---|---|---|---|
Pittsboro, Town of* | Pittsboro, NC | 1 of 1 | 285.4 ppt | 4,401 |
Chapel Ridge S/d | Cary, NC | 1 of 1 | 285.4 ppt | 798 |
Harnett County Department of Public Utilities* | Lillington, NC | 1 of 1 | 60.4 ppt | 101,389 |
Lillington Water System | Lillington, NC | 1 of 1 | 60.4 ppt | 3,883 |
Coats, Town of | Coats, NC | 1 of 1 | 60.4 ppt | 2,692 |
Angier, Town of | Angier, NC | 1 of 1 | 60.4 ppt | 7,612 |
Bragg Communities/nta | Fort Bragg, NC | 1 of 1 | 60.4 ppt | 3,733 |
Moore County Public Utilities-hidden Lakes S/d | Carthage, NC | 1 of 1 | 60.4 ppt | 165 |
Woodland Run Mobile Home S/d | Hampstead, NC | 1 of 1 | 60.4 ppt | 108 |
Linden, Town of | Linden, NC | 1 of 1 | 60.4 ppt | 1,973 |
Woodlake Water & Sewer Inc. | Hampstead, NC | 1 of 1 | 60.4 ppt | 1,945 |
Lillington Water System-riverbluff | Lillington, NC | 1 of 1 | 60.4 ppt | 93 |
Lillington Water System - Vandercroft | Lillington, NC | 1 of 1 | 60.4 ppt | 718 |
East Moore Water District* | Carthage, NC | 1 of 1 | 60.4 ppt | 6,436 |
Graystone S/d | Fuquay-varina, NC | 1 of 1 | 60.4 ppt | 50 |
Town of Holly Springs | Holly Springs, NC | 1 of 1 | 60.4 ppt | 38,500 |
Friendly Acres Mobile Home Park | El Dorado Hills, CA | 2 of 2 | 56.0 ppt | 75 |
Oakdale* | Oakdale, MN | 60 of 107 | 48.3 ppt | 28,315 |
Colonial Poplin Nursing Home | Fremont, NH | 1 of 1 | 31.0 ppt | 78 |
Bladen Bluffs Water System | Tarheel, NC | 1 of 1 | 27.0 ppt | 4,589 |
Ayer DPW Water Division | Ayer, MA | 13 of 13 | 18.1 ppt | 7,427 |
Town of Smithfield* | Smithfield, NC | 1 of 1 | 18.0 ppt | 12,400 |
Chatham S/d | Cary, NC | 1 of 1 | 17.5 ppt | 363 |
Cole Park Plaza | Cary, NC | 1 of 1 | 17.5 ppt | 224 |
Beechwood Cove/polks Landing | Cary, NC | 1 of 1 | 17.5 ppt | 406 |
Chatham Co-North* | Pittsboro, NC | 1 of 1 | 17.5 ppt | 18,752 |
East Orange County Water District - Rz | Orange, CA | 8 of 8 | 16.8 ppt | 3,000 |
Serrano Water District* | Villa Park, CA | 8 of 8 | 16.7 ppt | 6,641 |
San Juan Basin Authority* | San Juan Capistrano, CA | 9 of 11 | 15.3 ppt | 0 |
Valencia Water Company* | Valencia, CA | 36 of 45 | 14.8 ppt | 117,251 |
Oakland Association Inc. | Oakland, RI | 3 of 3 | 14.6 ppt | 175 |
Houlton Mobile Home Park | Houlton, ME | 1 of 1 | 14.2 ppt | 140 |
Eastgate S/d Fayetteville Public Works Commission | Charlotte, NC | 2 of 2 | 14.0 ppt | 205 |
Stedman, Town of* | Stedman, NC | 2 of 2 | 14.0 ppt | 1,506 |
Hoke County Regional--rockfish | Raeford, NC | 2 of 2 | 14.0 ppt | 5,778 |
Tanglewood South Mobile Home Park/fayetteville Public Works Commission | Charlotte, NC | 2 of 2 | 14.0 ppt | 259 |
Rain Tree II Fayetteville Public Works Commission | Hampstead, NC | 2 of 2 | 14.0 ppt | 292 |
Fayetteville Public Works Commission* | Fayetteville, NC | 2 of 2 | 14.0 ppt | 217,948 |
Kelly Hill S/d | Hampstead, NC | 2 of 2 | 14.0 ppt | 109 |
Brookwood South/fayetteville Public Works Commission | Hampstead, NC | 2 of 2 | 14.0 ppt | 2,357 |
Brettonwood Hills S/d | Hampstead, NC | 2 of 2 | 14.0 ppt | 187 |
Century Village Condos | Merrimack, NH | 1 of 1 | 13.9 ppt | 875 |
Home Gardens County Water District | Corona, CA | 55 of 78 | 13.5 ppt | 3,033 |
City of Corona* | Corona, CA | 55 of 78 | 13.5 ppt | 155,896 |
Santa Clarita Water Division* | Santa Clarita, CA | 28 of 30 | 13.5 ppt | 120,900 |
Selma, Town of | Selma, NC | 1 of 1 | 13.2 ppt | 6,120 |
Southgate S/d | Cary, NC | 1 of 1 | 12.7 ppt | 160 |
Sun Ridge Farm S/d | Cary, NC | 1 of 1 | 12.7 ppt | 272 |
Winston Pointe S/d | Charlotte, NC | 1 of 1 | 12.7 ppt | 737 |
South Plantation S/d | Cary, NC | 1 of 1 | 12.7 ppt | 357 |
* 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 Perfluorohexanoic Acid (PFHxA), but it likely has the contaminant in its water supply.
Utility | Location | Tests | Average level | People served |
---|---|---|---|---|
Harnett County Department of Public Utilities* | Lillington, NC | 1 of 1 | 60.4 ppt | 101,389 |
Town of Holly Springs | Holly Springs, NC | 1 of 1 | 60.4 ppt | 38,500 |
Oakdale* | Oakdale, MN | 60 of 107 | 48.3 ppt | 28,315 |
Town of Smithfield* | Smithfield, NC | 1 of 1 | 18.0 ppt | 12,400 |
Chatham Co-North* | Pittsboro, NC | 1 of 1 | 17.5 ppt | 18,752 |
Valencia Water Company* | Valencia, CA | 36 of 45 | 14.8 ppt | 117,251 |
Fayetteville Public Works Commission* | Fayetteville, NC | 2 of 2 | 14.0 ppt | 217,948 |
City of Corona* | Corona, CA | 55 of 78 | 13.5 ppt | 155,896 |
Santa Clarita Water Division* | Santa Clarita, CA | 28 of 30 | 13.5 ppt | 120,900 |
Johnston County - West* | Smithfield, NC | 1 of 1 | 12.7 ppt | 58,354 |
Clayton | Clayton, NC | 1 of 1 | 12.7 ppt | 19,822 |
Rubidoux Community SD | Rubidoux, CA | 11 of 11 | 11.3 ppt | 26,150 |
Pender County Utilities | Burgaw, NC | 1 of 1 | 10.8 ppt | 24,236 |
Brunswick Regional Water and Sewer H2go | Leland, NC | 1 of 1 | 10.3 ppt | 28,488 |
Brunswick County Water System* | Bolivia, NC | 1 of 1 | 10.3 ppt | 100,694 |
Town of Oak Island | Oak Island, NC | 1 of 1 | 10.3 ppt | 23,635 |
Pico Rivera Water Department | Pico Rivera, CA | 23 of 34 | 9.44 ppt | 39,000 |
City of Sanford* | Sanford, NC | 1 of 1 | 9.00 ppt | 45,649 |
Downey Water Department | Downey, CA | 9 of 11 | 8.49 ppt | 111,930 |
Neuse Regional Water and Sewer Authority* | La Grange, NC | 1 of 1 | 8.40 ppt | 93,238 |
City of Pleasanton | Pleasanton, CA | 12 of 12 | 8.38 ppt | 73,067 |
Piedmont Triad Regional* | Randleman, NC | 1 of 1 | 8.30 ppt | 367,681 |
City of Archdale* | Archdale, NC | 1 of 1 | 8.30 ppt | 12,700 |
California American Water Company - Suburban | Sacramento, CA | 15 of 41 | 8.22 ppt | 111,768 |
City of Orange | Orange, CA | 18 of 22 | 8.07 ppt | 138,640 |
Hingham/Hull - Aquarion Water Company | Hingham, MA | 1 of 1 | 8.00 ppt | 41,082 |
Cary* | Apex, NC | 1 of 1 | 7.70 ppt | 192,250 |
Town of Apex* | Apex, NC | 1 of 1 | 7.70 ppt | 60,000 |
City of Garden Grove | Garden Grove, CA | 30 of 32 | 6.97 ppt | 170,883 |
City of Lincolnton* | Lincolnton, NC | 1 of 1 | 6.30 ppt | 12,352 |
City of Goldsboro* | Goldsboro, NC | 1 of 1 | 5.80 ppt | 34,959 |
Dover Water Department | Dover, NH | 1 of 1 | 5.30 ppt | 28,000 |
Merrimack Village District* | Merrimack, NH | 168 of 209 | 5.15 ppt | 25,000 |
City of High Point* | High Point, NC | 1 of 2 | 5.00 ppt | 114,183 |
City of Santa Ana | Santa Ana, CA | 4 of 4 | 5.00 ppt | 329,815 |
City of Winston-Salem* | Pfafftown, NC | 2 of 3 | 4.97 ppt | 371,063 |
Elsinore Valley Municipal Water District* | Lake Elsinore, CA | 20 of 37 | 4.92 ppt | 142,264 |
Irvine Ranch Water District* | Irvine, CA | 4 of 6 | 4.72 ppt | 370,000 |
Cape Fear Public Utility Authority - New Hanover County* | Wilmington, NC | 1 of 1 | 4.70 ppt | 29,052 |
Orchard Dale Water District | Whittier, CA | 11 of 15 | 4.65 ppt | 22,492 |
Kent County Water Authority* | West Warwick, RI | 3 of 5 | 4.55 ppt | 88,780 |
City of Fullerton | Fullerton, CA | 16 of 20 | 4.34 ppt | 138,251 |
Bellingham Dpw Water Sewer Div.* | Bellingham, MA | 1 of 1 | 4.23 ppt | 15,390 |
Cambridge Water Department (MWRA) | Cambridge, MA | 1 of 1 | 4.10 ppt | 105,162 |
Braintree Water and Sewer Department | Braintree, MA | 1 of 1 | 4.06 ppt | 37,544 |
Easton Water Div* | Easton, MA | 5 of 10 | 3.94 ppt | 23,112 |
Holbrook Public Works Department | Holbrook, MA | 2 of 2 | 3.94 ppt | 10,791 |
Randolph Water Department* | Randolph, MA | 2 of 2 | 3.94 ppt | 33,375 |
Davidson Water Inc.* | Welcome, NC | 1 of 1 | 3.90 ppt | 147,455 |
City of Livermore | Livermore, CA | 35 of 46 | 3.88 ppt | 27,000 |
* 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 Perfluorohexanoic Acid (PFHxA), but it likely has the contaminant in its water supply.