Analies Dyjak, M.A. | Head of Policy   

Recent testing requirements in the State of Massachusetts have forced local governments to take a closer look at the safety of their drinking water. These new requirements have revealed that Easton, Massachusetts, has elevated levels of PFAS in their tap water. This article will address what PFAS compounds are, the levels in Easton drinking water, and water filtration brands that actually remove them. 

PFAS in Easton, Massachusetts

The City of Easton, Massachusetts recently reported that PFAS are present in the city’s drinking water supply. State-level regulations of PFAS chemicals are relatively new, particularly in Massachusetts. Municipal water supplies were not required to even test for PFAS compounds until January 2021, when the state implemented these requirements. Up until that point, people in Easton and many other municipalities in Massachusetts did not know they were being exposed to this potentially cancer-causing chemical. 

In October, 2020, the Massachusetts Department of Environmental Protection set an enforceable standard of 20 parts per trillion for the sum of six PFAS compounds in drinking water. The six compounds, called PFAS6, are: PFOS, PFOA, PFHxS, PFNA, PFHpA, and PFDA. This regulation means that if a water sample exceeds 20 parts per trillion for all six compounds, that the municipal provider is in violation of the state law. The table below shows elevated levels of PFAS in Easton source water. A more detailed and thorough analysis of these results can be found on the Easton, MA, website dedicated to PFAS testing.   

What Are Per and Polyfluoroalkyl Substances?

Per and Polyfluoroalkyl Substances (PFAS) are a category of harmful compounds that can be found in drinking water sources across the country. PFAS can take hundreds of years to degrade in the environment which is why you may see them referred to as ‘forever chemicals.’ PFAS are not currently regulated at the federal level, but some states have created regulations or monitoring criteria, including Massachusetts. They are known to increase the risk of cancer, increase cholesterol, increase the risk of miscarriage by 80-120%, and several other negative health outcomes. According to the National Institute of Health, over 4,700 different PFAS variations have been used in some type of manufacturing since the 1950’s.

Is 20 ppt Safe?

There’s a bit of uncertainty around the “safe level” of exposure to PFAS compounds. There are only a handful of studies that assess associated health impacts, and most agree that more research is necessary to make a determination. In 2016, EPA set a non-enforceable Health Advisory Level of 70 parts per trillion for combined PFOA and PFOS. More recent data suggests that this level is far to high to provide meaningful protection against a range of negative health impacts. A recent study also found that a “safe level” or PFAS could be as low as 0.1 parts per trillion. Although the Massachusetts PFAS standard is on the lower end of state limits, our team would rather see even less PFAS allowed in municipal tap water. 

Not All Water Filters Remove PFAS

If you live in Easton and you’re looking for a solution, it’s important to understand that not all water filters are able to remove PFAS chemicals. Duke University completed a study in 2020 that tested various filtration brands and their ability to remove PFAS from drinking water. The results found that popular brands including Brita and Pur did not do a good job of removing PFAS compounds. Refrigerator filters tested by the Duke research team, including; Samsung, Whirlpool, and GE, also failed to remove PFAS. The full results of this study can be found here. Hydroviv filters are both NSF certified and third-party tested to remove PFAS chemicals. To request our full testing and removal data, please email hello@hydroviv.com. 

Analies Dyjak, M.A. |  Head of Policy

Consumer Reports recently tested 47 different bottled water brands for the presence of PFAS compounds. The study tested 35 still or non-carbonated brands, and 12 carbonated brands. Consumer Reports also tested the different brands for various heavy metals including arsenic, cadmium, lead, and mercury. 

Which Brands Had The Highest Levels of PFAS? 

The two still-water or non-carbonated brands that had detectable levels of PFAS were Deer Park and Tourmaline Spring, according to Consumer Reports. 7 out of the 12 carbonated brands that were part of this study had PFAS levels above 1 part per trillion. These brands included: Perrier, LaCroix, Canada Dry, Poland Spring, Bubly, Polar, and Topo Chico. Topo Chico had the highest levels of PFAS, totaling 9.76 parts per trillion. 

What is an “Acceptable Level” for PFAS?

On April 10, 2024, the US EPA has announced drinking water standards to limit exposure to 6 types of PFAS chemicals. These includes 4 ppt for PFOA & PFOS, and 10ppt for PFHxS, PFNA, and HFPO-DA (commonly known as GenX). We know that exposure to PFAS increases the risk of miscarriage by 80-120%. We also know that exposure to PFAS increases the risk of cancer (kidney and testicular), increases cholesterol, causes developmental issues in infants and young children, and more. A lot of these health impacts can occur at levels lower than EPA’s current public health advisory level of 70 parts per trillion. Some states have adopted or are in the process of adopting their own enforceable PFAS standards. Even so, there is no scientific consensus on the acceptable level of PFAS for human consumption. In a Duke/NC State filter study, Hydroviv Undersink Water filters reduced PFAS levels to “undetectable.” 

Is Bottled Water Safer Than Tap Water?

Not necessarily. People are surprised to learn that bottled water is actually less regulated than tap water. The Food and Drug Administration regulates bottled water and The Environmental Protection Agency regulates tap water. Both agencies must meet identical federal standards for the same amount of contaminants, with the exception of lead. Also, bottled water companies are not required to disclose where they source their water on the bottle itself. Municipal water providers are required to be transparent about where exactly their tap water is coming from. There’s no way to know if a bottled water company draws and treats water from a river, lake, groundwater aquifer, or the same source as neighboring tap water. Empty plastic water bottles typically end up in landfills, causing long-term environmental problems. We wrote an in-depth article about why bottled water is worse than tap water. Check it out here. 

Which Brands Had Detectable Levels of Arsenic?

Consumer Reports found that Starkey Spring (a Whole Foods bottled water brand) had Arsenic levels above the regulatory limit of 10 parts per billion in June of 2019. Consumer Reports re-tested Starkey Spring water, and found Arsenic levels just under 10 parts per billion at 9.53 parts per billion. It’s important to note that 10 parts per billion is much higher than what health organizations claim to be safe. Hydroviv Undersink Water Filters brought arsenic levels down from 23.9 parts per billion to undetectable, in a recent water quality study.

Hydroviv's Water Nerds

Little Miss Flint (Mari Copeny) has partnered with Hydroviv to help donate water filters to low-income families across the country. As of April 5, 2024, the Little Miss Flint Clean Water Fund has raised over $850,000. Mari even inspired us to provide these filters at our break-even cost, which translates to well over one million dollars worth of product. Mari's current goal is to raise $1 Million for her Filter Fund, to help get clean water to those that need it the most. Many families impacted by poor water quality need access to an effective solution for clean water. 

About Our Charitable Partner: Little Miss Flint

You may remember Little Miss Flint or Mari Copeny, as the face of the Flint Lead Crisis back in 2014. Mari was just 8 years old when she became one of the most prominent activists for the city of Flint, Michigan. After thousands of children in her community were exposed to unsafe levels of lead, Mari knew she needed to do something to help. Mari donated over one million bottles of water to families in Flint impacted by the high lead levels. At the beginning of the crisis, bottled water was the only resource for drinking water that the community of Flint could trust. After Hydroviv’s Scientific Founder, Dr. Eric Roy, heard about the situation in Flint, he began developing and donating high-capacity lead water filters to child-centric organizations and families in Flint, Michigan. This is where we met Mari, and decided to form a partnership to address water quality issues together.

Cost of Impact:

Sustainability: Our filter donation program has a significant environmental impact by eliminating the need for bottled water. While plastic water bottles may be a short-term solution, they end up in landfills and the ocean, causing a host of other environmental problems.

Time: Most bottled water donation programs require physically going to a location and standing in line for hours just to receive a week's worth of water. Installing a Hydroviv water filter allows for tap water on demand, and eliminates the need to take time off work just to receive a basic human right. 

Why Are Hydroviv Filters Different?

Not all water filters are designed to effectively remove high concentrations of contaminants found in tap water, and not all tap water is the same. Our scientific founder had this in mind when creating water filters for Flint, Michigan, and it still holds true today. Hydroviv Water Filters, including those being donated, are optimized to remove contaminants specific to any particular zip code. 

Some communities have “free filtration programs” that are often created a significant amount of time after the problem has been identified. Most city officials choose the cheapest option on the market, and the water filters inevitably end up failing to remove contaminants. Newark, New Jersey had a lead crisis similar to Flint, Michigan throughout 2018 and 2019. In response, the city provided free Pur water filters to eligible Newark residents. Unfortunately, the filters distributed by the city did not perform to the levels that Newark residents were led to believe. 

Hydroviv Specifications

Hydroviv Undersink Water Filters are NSF/ANSI 53 certified to remove lead. Hydroviv was included in a Duke University/NC State study that examined the effectiveness of residential water filters and their ability to remove PFAS. According to the study, water with PFAS present in the unfiltered samples had undetectable (below the Method Detection Limit (<MDL)) levels of PFAS after the water was filtered through a Hydroviv filter. The results from the Duke/NC State study were consistent with a previous study that looked at PFAS removal rates, including GenX. Additional studies show that Hydroviv filters remove Arsenic, Uranium, Chromium 6, and many other contaminants. Hydroviv is not in any way affiliated with or endorsed by Duke University, NC State University, or any of the researchers involved in the study.

How Can I Donate?

Hydroviv's Water Nerds

Hydroviv’s founder, Dr. Eric Roy was called as an expert witness to testify before the House Committee on Science, Space, and Technology - Investigations and Oversight Subcommittee. The topic of this hearing was aimed at solving the nationwide lead crisis, with particular emphasis on the crisis underway in Newark, New Jersey. Lead contamination in U.S. tap water remains a high priority for lawmakers, although current policies and solutions are not sufficient.

Dr. Roy shared the stage with fellow scientists, physicians, and engineers who are dedicated to solving the nationwide lead crisis. In his testimony, he laid out a framework for the Federal Government to align academics, government scientists, and technology developers to solve water quality problems in the same way that Federal Agencies do for high-priority security initiatives (also has significant experience). 

We were honored that Dr. Roy was called on as a thought leader for such an important discussion by such a prestigious House Committee/Subcommittee. A transcript of the testimony can be found here.