PFAS (per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances) are a group of synthetic chemicals widely used in industrial processes and consumer products\u2014including non-stick cookware, stain-resistant fabrics, and food packaging. They are also a common component in some firefighting foams. PFAS are often referred to as \u201cforever chemicals\u201d due to their ability to persist in the environment: PFAS have been detected in surface water, groundwater, drinking water, and soil throughout the United States. Exposure to PFAS may occur from drinking water, eating food, or breathing air containing PFAS. Current research indicates exposure to PFAS may result in adverse health effects, including changes to the immune system, high cholesterol and other effects on liver function, pregnancy complications, and increased risk for certain cancers.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Public water systems must test for\u00a0PFAS\u00a0under\u00a0the\u00a0Safe Drinking Water\u00a0Act<\/a> (SDWA) in order to meet federal regulations protecting human health. The\u202fRhode Island Department of Health (RIDOH)<\/a> oversees\u202f public\u00a0water systems\u202fto make sure they follow state and federal\u202frequirements.\u00a0Private wells are not regulated in the same way as public water systems. Private well owners are not required to test for PFAS or other contaminants, so we know less about PFAS in private well water.<\/p>\n\n\n\n To\u00a0learn more about\u00a0PFAS\u00a0in private well\u00a0water, URI\u202fWater Quality\u202fProgram\u202fstaff will collect\u202fdrinking\u202fwater\u202fsamples from\u202fhomes\u00a0in two Rhode Island communities. We will also\u202fcollect\u202fsamples from\u202fhousehold\u202fseptic systems to help us understand potential sources of PFAS exposure in the home.\u202f<\/p>\n\n\n\n In coordination with the RIDOH, we selected the towns of Charlestown and Exeter to begin our sampling efforts. Both communities fall within a RIDOH Health Equity Zone<\/a> and have documented PFAS detections in one or more public water systems within their municipal boundaries. Households located within a 1\/2-mile radius of a public water system with a PFAS detection will be chosen to sample private wells and wastewater for PFAS at no cost to the homeowner. No public water system within our study area exceeded the current Rhode Island Interim Drinking Water Standard <\/a>of 20 parts per trillion (ppt). All samples will be analyzed by a state\u2011certified laboratory to determine the presence and concentration of PFAS, if detected. Participation in this University of Rhode Island Institutional Review Board\u2013approved study is voluntary. Some funding is available to assist homeowners with treatment costs if private well results show PFAS levels above 20 ppt- the level at which public water systems are required to take action to lower the level of PFAS under state regulatory requirements.<\/p>\n\n\n\n <\/p>\n\n\n\n <\/p>\n\n\n\n <\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" PFAS (per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances) are a group of synthetic chemicals widely used in industrial processes and consumer products\u2014including non-stick cookware, stain-resistant fabrics, and food packaging. They are also a common component in some firefighting foams. PFAS are often referred to as \u201cforever chemicals\u201d due to their ability to persist in the environment: PFAS have been detected in surface water, groundwater, drinking water, and soil throughout […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":5144,"featured_media":0,"parent":0,"menu_order":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","template":"","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":"","_links_to":"","_links_to_target":""},"class_list":["post-105","page","type-page","status-publish","hentry"],"acf":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/web.uri.edu\/pfas-in-ri-homes\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/105","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/web.uri.edu\/pfas-in-ri-homes\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/web.uri.edu\/pfas-in-ri-homes\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/page"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/web.uri.edu\/pfas-in-ri-homes\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/5144"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/web.uri.edu\/pfas-in-ri-homes\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=105"}],"version-history":[{"count":4,"href":"https:\/\/web.uri.edu\/pfas-in-ri-homes\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/105\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":664,"href":"https:\/\/web.uri.edu\/pfas-in-ri-homes\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/105\/revisions\/664"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/web.uri.edu\/pfas-in-ri-homes\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=105"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}