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EWG's Tap Water Database — 2021 UPDATE

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Perfluoropentanoic Acid (PFPeA)

Status: No national drinking water standard exists

 

Perfluoropentanoic Acid (PFPeA) 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.

2013-2019:

FOUND
FOUND ABOVE HEALTH GUIDELINES

8

states detected

214

utilities detected

5.4 million

people served

0

states over health guideline

0

utilities over health guideline

0

people served over health guideline

Health concerns for perfluoropentanoic 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 perfluoropentanoic 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 perfluoropentanoic acid in drinking water

UTILITIES WITH CONTAMINATION
State UtilitiesPeople Served
North Carolina1604,509,069
Rhode Island20416,721
Wisconsin5238,297
New Hampshire22148,469
Minnesota370,607
Massachusetts242,500
South Carolina110,214
Virginia1325
MORE
LESS

Filtering technologies that reduce perfluoropentanoic acid

Activated Carbon

Reverse Osmosis

Utilities with the highest amounts of perfluoropentanoic acid, 2013-2019

ALL UTILITIES
LARGE UTILITIES
UtilityLocationTestsAverage levelPeople served
Pittsboro, Town of*Pittsboro, NC1 of 1161.5 ppt4,401
Chapel Ridge S/dCary, NC1 of 1161.5 ppt798
Saint Paul ParkSt. Paul Park, MN4 of 644.7 ppt5,392
Harnett County Department of Public Utilities*Lillington, NC1 of 137.2 ppt101,389
Lillington Water System - VandercroftLillington, NC1 of 137.2 ppt718
Town of Holly SpringsHolly Springs, NC1 of 137.2 ppt38,500
Graystone S/dFuquay-varina, NC1 of 137.2 ppt50
East Moore Water District*Carthage, NC1 of 137.2 ppt6,436
Coats, Town ofCoats, NC1 of 137.2 ppt2,692
Moore County Public Utilities-hidden Lakes S/dCarthage, NC1 of 137.2 ppt165
Woodland Run Mobile Home S/dHampstead, NC1 of 137.2 ppt108
Lillington Water SystemLillington, NC1 of 137.2 ppt3,883
Angier, Town ofAngier, NC1 of 137.2 ppt7,612
Linden, Town ofLinden, NC1 of 137.2 ppt1,973
Lillington Water System-riverbluffLillington, NC1 of 137.2 ppt93
Woodlake Water & Sewer Inc.Hampstead, NC1 of 137.2 ppt1,945
Bragg Communities/ntaFort Bragg, NC1 of 137.2 ppt3,733
Bladen Bluffs Water SystemTarheel, NC1 of 126.7 ppt4,589
Cottage GroveCottage Grove, MN29 of 7822.6 ppt36,900
Oakland Association Inc.Oakland, RI3 of 319.1 ppt175
Colonial Poplin Nursing HomeFremont, NH1 of 116.0 ppt78
Creekside Place S/dCary, NC1 of 115.4 ppt361
South Plantation S/dCary, NC1 of 115.4 ppt357
Winston Pointe S/dCharlotte, NC1 of 115.4 ppt737
Winston PlantationCharlotte, NC1 of 115.4 ppt229
Southgate S/dCary, NC1 of 115.4 ppt160
Willowbrook DevelopmentCharlotte, NC1 of 115.4 ppt435
White Oak PlantationCharlotte, NC1 of 115.4 ppt526
Johnston County - West*Smithfield, NC1 of 115.4 ppt58,354
ClaytonClayton, NC1 of 115.4 ppt19,822
Sun Ridge Farm S/dCary, NC1 of 115.4 ppt272
Town of Smithfield*Smithfield, NC1 of 114.7 ppt12,400
Cole Park PlazaCary, NC1 of 113.2 ppt224
Chatham Co-North*Pittsboro, NC1 of 113.2 ppt18,752
Chatham S/dCary, NC1 of 113.2 ppt363
Beechwood Cove/polks LandingCary, NC1 of 113.2 ppt406
Wade, Town ofWade, NC1 of 113.1 ppt835
Selma, Town ofSelma, NC1 of 112.9 ppt6,120
Brettonwood Hills S/dHampstead, NC1 of 211.3 ppt187
Eastgate S/d Fayetteville Public Works CommissionCharlotte, NC1 of 211.3 ppt205
Brookwood South/fayetteville Public Works CommissionHampstead, NC1 of 211.3 ppt2,357
Stedman, Town of*Stedman, NC1 of 211.3 ppt1,506
Fayetteville Public Works Commission*Fayetteville, NC1 of 211.3 ppt217,948
Rain Tree II Fayetteville Public Works CommissionHampstead, NC1 of 211.3 ppt292
Tanglewood South Mobile Home Park/fayetteville Public Works CommissionCharlotte, NC1 of 211.3 ppt259
Kelly Hill S/dHampstead, NC1 of 211.3 ppt109
Hoke County Regional--rockfishRaeford, NC1 of 211.3 ppt5,778
Goldston-Gulf Sanitary DistrictGoldston, NC1 of 111.0 ppt1,250
Carolina Trace Water SystemCharlotte, NC1 of 111.0 ppt4,160
City of Sanford*Sanford, NC1 of 111.0 ppt45,649

* 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 Perfluoropentanoic Acid (PFPeA), but it likely has the contaminant in its water supply.

UtilityLocationTestsAverage levelPeople served
Town of Holly SpringsHolly Springs, NC1 of 137.2 ppt38,500
Harnett County Department of Public Utilities*Lillington, NC1 of 137.2 ppt101,389
Cottage GroveCottage Grove, MN29 of 7822.6 ppt36,900
Johnston County - West*Smithfield, NC1 of 115.4 ppt58,354
ClaytonClayton, NC1 of 115.4 ppt19,822
Town of Smithfield*Smithfield, NC1 of 114.7 ppt12,400
Chatham Co-North*Pittsboro, NC1 of 113.2 ppt18,752
Fayetteville Public Works Commission*Fayetteville, NC1 of 211.3 ppt217,948
City of Sanford*Sanford, NC1 of 111.0 ppt45,649
Town of Apex*Apex, NC1 of 110.00 ppt60,000
Cary*Apex, NC1 of 110.00 ppt192,250
Pender County UtilitiesBurgaw, NC1 of 18.70 ppt24,236
Oakdale*Oakdale, MN17 of 1078.53 ppt28,315
Town of Oak IslandOak Island, NC1 of 17.90 ppt23,635
Brunswick Regional Water and Sewer H2goLeland, NC1 of 17.90 ppt28,488
Brunswick County Water System*Bolivia, NC1 of 17.90 ppt100,694
Perquimans County Water System*Hertford, NC1 of 16.60 ppt11,314
Neuse Regional Water and Sewer Authority*La Grange, NC1 of 16.30 ppt93,238
City of High Point*High Point, NC1 of 25.95 ppt114,183
City of Winston-Salem*Pfafftown, NC1 of 35.80 ppt371,063
Cape Fear Public Utility Authority - New Hanover County*Wilmington, NC1 of 15.50 ppt29,052
City of Goldsboro*Goldsboro, NC1 of 15.50 ppt34,959
Piedmont Triad Regional*Randleman, NC1 of 15.40 ppt367,681
City of Archdale*Archdale, NC1 of 15.40 ppt12,700
City of Wilson*Wilson, NC2 of 25.10 ppt50,866
City of Reidsville*Reidsville, NC1 of 14.40 ppt14,087
City of Greensboro*Greensboro, NC2 of 24.05 ppt290,201
City of LumbertonLumberton, NC1 of 23.85 ppt25,803
Hudson Water Department*Hudson, NH25 of 423.71 ppt16,100
Merrimack Village District*Merrimack, NH81 of 1613.57 ppt25,000
City of Lincolnton*Lincolnton, NC1 of 13.40 ppt12,352
ElonElon, NC2 of 23.20 ppt11,400
City of Burlington*Burlington, NC2 of 23.20 ppt54,000
Kent County Water Authority*West Warwick, RI2 of 53.03 ppt88,780
City of Mount Airy*Mount Airy, NC1 of 22.90 ppt10,417
Pasquotank County Water SystemElizabeth City, NC1 of 12.90 ppt10,653
North Kingstown*North Kingstown, RI4 of 112.87 ppt23,568
Montgomery County Water System*Mt Gilead, NC1 of 12.60 ppt15,102
Cape Fear Public Utility Authority - WilmingtonWilmington, NC5 of 112.59 ppt153,202
City of Graham*Graham, NC1 of 12.50 ppt14,308
City of MebaneMebane, NC1 of 12.50 ppt15,284
Westfield Water Department*Westfield, MA1 of 12.50 ppt42,000
Elizabeth CityElizabeth City, NC1 of 12.40 ppt19,187
Lincoln County WTP*Denver, NC1 of 12.20 ppt34,229
Chowan County Water SystemEdenton, NC1 of 12.10 ppt10,762
Charlotte Water*Charlotte, NC1 of 12.00 ppt1,093,901
City of Durham*Durham, NC1 of 21.60 ppt282,343
Pennichuck Water WorksMerrimack, NH11 of 171.57 ppt87,682
Madison Water Utility*Madison, WI4 of 121.48 ppt235,000
University of Rhode IslandKingston, RI1 of 31.43 ppt19,354

* 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 Perfluoropentanoic Acid (PFPeA), but it likely has the contaminant in its water supply.