Nonstick chemicals known as per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) are used in many consumer goods, including carpets and foam products. They are also used to fight fires.

These compounds can persist in the environment for a long time. They have also been found in many drinking water supplies. The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is supposed to regulate PFAS as they relate to drinking water contamination.

A study in the journal Science of the Total Environment measured 17 PFAS in source water and treated water from 25 treatment plants as part of a broader study of contaminants in drinking water across the United States. PFAS were detected in all 50 samples, and there was little difference in concentrations between the source and treated water, all of which the concentrations exceeded the EPA standards.

Once again, if the EPA was working for us, instead of corporate America, the EPA would set strong standards against contaminants in our drinking water and vigorously enforce those standards. As this study shows, they are not doing that with regard to PFAS.

PFAS chemicals contain fluoride, which is a toxic element and a carcinogen. It causes problems with the endocrine glands and the bones. Because fluoride is a very reactive element, it is not easy to remove it from the body.

Fluoride should be avoided in all forms. It certainly should not be added to our water supply. The Environmental Working Group estimates that up to 110 million Americans are currently serviced by water supplies contaminated with PFAS.

In 1996, the EPA was tasked with protecting human health by establishing drinking water standards. Every five years, the EPA is supposed to develop a list of water contaminants in order to set standards to remove those contaminants. This is a good thing.

However, the EPA has failed to follow through with programs to reduce the contaminants. PFAS contamination is not easy to treat. It will require a lot of money and persistent effort to clean our water supply. I recommend using a water filter that gets rid of fluoride.

A good reverse osmosis filter can remove these impurities.