November 2024 EPA Report Reveals 5,000 New Communities With Detected PFAS in Drinking Water

Last spring's EPA release of final Maximum Contamination Levels (MCLs) provides a new perspective that no amount of PFOA or PFAS exposure is safe

On the record as a very concerned mom and citizen, if your community is contaminated, you should filter at the household level. Thanks to diligent water filtration companies, you have the opportunity to protect yourselves, children and pets. 

But not all filters are created equally and you need to make sure you are using the correct filter, so either attend one of my PFAS Water Talks or read my deep dive article on assessing your water contaminants and filtration. 

Western Washington Communities
Detected Forever Chemicals in Their Drinking Water**
 921, 359 Residents

Water Systems

Mountain View

Sunset Farm

Enterprise Estates

Lisecc

Lyon Road Community

Ault Field

San Juan Estates

Hillcrest Village

Whispering Pines

Crossroads

Harrington Lagoon

Northgate Terrace

Cal Waterworks

Deer Lakes Estates

Mecca Community

Point Allen

Kackman Creek

Arlington Water Dept.

Arlington East Mutual

Arlington View Estates

Roseland Community

Priest Beach

Cross Valley

City of Goldbar

Lake Tuck

Sammamish Plateau

North Bend

City of Redmond

Madrona Beach

Bullitt Center

Loveland Mobile Estates

Highline

City of Renton

Issaquah Water

Issaquah Valley

Mirrormont

Cristalina

Cedar River

Forest Grove

Sawyerwood

Covington

Welchs

City of Auburn

Kent Water Dept.

Mountain View Water

Forest Grove Hills

Evergreen Sky Ranch

Lakehaven Utility

Montessori Spring Valley

City of Milton

Mountain View Edgewood

Towns Mobile Home Park

City of Puyallup

Valley Meadow

Ryanwood Improvement

Ranier View Park Addition

Enchanted Firs Mobile Estates

Orting 15

Graham Hill Mutual

Shadow Pines Mobile Estates

Whiskey Hollow-670

Fruitland Mutual

Meridian Terrace Mobile Home Park

Summit

Twin Firs

Spanaway

Nelson Ridge

Bethel Ranchettes

Kuzmianich

Crescent Park

Ranier Villa

Lakewood

Western State Hospitak

Westbridge Estates

Dupont

Share this article with those who live in the above listed communities and check out the water filter I've been using for my family since 2023.

**Source: I tallied up the Western WA communities with detected PFAS contamination in drinking water from the Environmental Working Group PFAS Map, sourced from the most recent Unregulated Contaminated Monitoring Rule EPA report. 

I included communities West of the mountain passes, East of Puget Sound and as far South as DuPont (just because that seemed like an appropriate place to end the list). 

Please know that drinking water contamination is not the fault of the water treatment facilities or our cities, it is caused by unregulated harmful chemicals that have moved into the global manufacturing of tens of thousands of products for nearly the past 75 years. 

Because someone has to be responsible for cleaning up the mess, water utility companies are working on filtering and decontamination. But it will take time and billions of dollars (part of which needs to come from the federal government). 


You Might Wonder Why I Took Time To Share This 

I compiled this list because I care about my neighbors and want to do my part to raise the volume on this important health issue. After researching the topic among media outlets and public utility websites and community blogs, I could find very little reporting of the newly identified communities. 

The worst part of most communications on this subject, very few people and organizations are recommending what people can do to safeguard their health. Many water suppliers have a link to an EPA website, but it's generic and not helpful. 

Follow me on social media (links in top right) or come back to my blog regularly to learn more ways that you can make more informed decisions about products and lifestyle that will lead to better health outcomes for you and the beings you care about. 

Environmental Working Group has many deep dive articles on their website and I recommend anyone who wants to feel empowered to check out what they are doing to safeguard our health. 

What We Know about Health Effects
Current peer-reviewed scientific studies have shown that exposure to certain levels of PFAS may lead to*:

Reproductive

Reproductive effects such as decreased fertility or increased high blood pressure in pregnant women.

fertility



Development

Developmental effects or delays in children, including low birth weight, accelerated puberty, bone variations, or behavioral changes.

child development



Cancer

Increased risk of some cancers, including prostate, kidney, and testicular cancers.

DNA



Immunity

Reduced ability of the body’s immune system to fight infections, including reduced vaccine response.

Immune System



Hormones

Interference with the body’s natural hormones.

Hormones



Cholesterol

Increased cholesterol levels and/or risk of obesity.

Cholesterol



*Source: U.S. Environmental Protection Agency Find the recommended affordable PFAS water filter that I've used for my family since 2023 here. If you have well water, use this link

pfas

Stay Healthy
Filter Your Water

Ditch & Switch to Healthier Picks: Researched & Tried by Me, Chosen for My Family

I chose Epic Water to keep my family healthy back in August 2023 after assessing my city's drinking water contaminants and filtration needs. 

If you would like help assessing the health of your local tap water, check out my deep dive water quality blog article or schedule a Ditch & Switch consultation with me and I'll do the deep dive for you!

More Helpful Resources

Here is a good Seattle Times article from last April, when the EPA lowered the maximum contaminant levels of forever chemicals in water. 

Think bottled water is a healthier alternative to contaminated drinking water? Read this before you buy another case at Costco. Here is another article that addresses microplastic contamination in plastic water bottles

Here is a deep dive article that I wrote about the murky situation about the health of our drinking water. 

Want to see how your water measures up for other potential contaminants? Put your zip code into this tap water database, managed by EWG. Make sure you look at both tabs: "exceed guidelines" and "other contaminants." Seattle Public Utilities has 11 cancer-causing chlorination by-product chemicals that I like to filter our for my family and fur babies. 



Tanea Stephens
Tanea Stephens

Greetings, fellow health enthusiast! By reading this post, you've already taken the first step towards becoming a superhero in your own right – someone who's committed to a more sustainable and toxin-free lifestyle. And guess what? I'm your trusty leader, here to help you on your journey! Every week, I'll be sharing tried and tested low-toxin alternatives to help you make the switch and become an eco-warrior. But wait, there's more! I'm always open to suggestions, so feel free to send me your favorite product categories and I'll do the rest. Turning my love for witty writing into a small commission, one affiliate-supported product link at a time. 💰💻 Because let's be honest, every displaced former professional who took time out to raise their children deserves time-flexible ways to earn a living and follow their own passions! ✨ Together, we can make the world a better – and healthier – place, one switch at a time! Fearlessly Yours, Your Toxin-Busting Leader Tanea Stephens