PFAS (per-and polyfluoroalkyl substances)
Updates
- 4/24/2024: The U.S. EPA finalized the PFAS National Primary Drinking Water Regulation on Apr. 10, which establishes the first ever legally enforceable maximum contaminant levels for PFAS in drinking water. The District updated this webpage to include additional information for the EPA’s finalized PFAS Rule.
- 12/11/2023: The District and Authority opted out of PFAS class action settlements. You can learn more about this on the District’s governance page. The District also updated the data table to reflect one singular public water system.
- 9/22/2023: The District is continuing to monitor the regulatory framework that is evolving as the EPA works through the stakeholder and review process for the recently issued PFAS draft regulation.
- 6/14/2023: The District posted this webpage and included additional information regarding the EPA’s proposed PFAS draft regulation.
- 3/2/2023: The District and Authority issued a news release outlining 2023 PFAS testing results and recommended actions. Here is a link to the news release in Spanish. Additionally, all customers received a direct notice detailing this information (Spanish version).
- 8/15/2022: The District and Authority issued a news release detailing the release of the updated EPA health advisory levels and our intent to further characterize PFAS levels with a comprehensive monitoring program.
As part of our commitment to providing safe, reliable, and affordable drinking water to our customers, we have been voluntarily testing your drinking water for a group of unregulated man-made chemicals of growing concern known as PFAS (Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances).
What are PFAS?
PFAS are a group of more than 5,000 man-made chemicals that have been used in everyday consumer products and industry since the 1940s. They grew in popularity because of their ability to resist oil, water, and stains, reduce friction, and withstand extreme temperatures. There are PFAS chemicals in everyday products including ski wax, nonstick cookware, water-repellent clothing, stain-resistant textiles, cosmetics, and firefighting foams. They are also used in industries that include aerospace, automotive, construction, and electronics.
PFAS are extremely stable compounds because they are made of very strong carbon and fluorine bonds. PFAS are known as “forever chemicals” because they do not break down over time and therefore can get into our water, soil, air, and food during production and use.
Health Risks of PFAS
Concerns over human health impacts began to surface in the early 2000s, and although manufacturing of some of these compounds have been phased out, their resistance to degradation allows them to persist in the environment and build up in the human body.
The scientific understanding of PFAS is still evolving and research is ongoing to determine how different levels of exposure to different PFAS can lead to a variety of health effects. Currently, there is strong evidence that two PFAS compounds, Perfluorooctanoic Acid (PFOA) and Perfluorooctane Sulfonate (PFOS), impact the immune system, increase cholesterol, decrease infant birth weight, and cause changes in liver function. There is moderate evidence that PFAS compounds are associated with preeclampsia and high blood pressure during pregnancy and causes effects on thyroid hormones. There is also evidence that PFOA increases the risk of kidney and testicular cancer.
Voluntary Sampling Results
The District is a public water system regulated under the Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) Safe Drinking Water Act (SDWA). The EPA sets legal limits on over 90 contaminants in drinking water, and our drinking water has and continues to meet all federal and state Primary Drinking Water Standards. Refer to our annual Consumer Confidence Reports for details on the quality of your drinking water.
PFAS are not currently regulated under the SDWA. However, the EPA finalized a PFAS National Primary Drinking Water regulation in April 2024. As part of the new regulation, the EPA established regulatory enforceable maximum contaminant levels for PFOA and PFOS individually at 4.0 parts per trillion (ppt), and PFNA, PFHxS, and HFPO-DA individually at 10.0 ppt. We expect to be able to fully comply with this regulation when it takes effect.
Water sample results show that PFOA and PFOS are present in some of our drinking water sources:
| Treatment Facility | General Service Area | PFAS Compound | 2020 Detected Level (parts per trillion) | 2023 Detected Level (parts per trillion) | EPA Proposed Maximum Contaminant Level (parts per trillion) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Avon Drinking Water Facility | Avon | PFOA PFOS | 0.85* 0.62* | 0.75* 0.46* | 4.0 4.0 |
| Edwards Drinking Water Facility | Edwards | PFOA PFOS | 1.4* 0.81* | 0.90* 0.64* | 4.0 4.0 |
| Berry Creek Wells | Edwards | PFOA PFOS | Not Detected 0.66 | 0.50* 2.5 | 4.0 4.0 |
| Edwards Well | Edwards | PFOA PFOS | 0.66* 0.82* | 0.62* 1.1* | 4.0 4.0 |
| Fenno Wells | Cordillera | PFOA PFOS | Not Sampled | Not Detected Not Detected | 4.0 4.0 |
| Gore Valley Drinking Water Facility | East Vail | PFOA PFOS | Not Sampled | Not Detected Not Detected | 4.0 4.0 |
| Well R-7 | East Vail | PFOA PFOS | Not Detected Not Detected | Not Detected Not Detected | 4.0 4.0 |
| Well R-1 | Core Vail | PFOA PFOS | Not Detected Not Detected | Not Detected Not Detected | 4.0 4.0 |
| Well R-2/R-6 | Core Vail | PFOA PFOS | Not Detected Not Detected | Not Detected Not Detected | 4.0 4.0 |
| Well R-4 | Core Vail | PFOA PFOS | Not Detected Not Detected | Not Detected Not Detected | 4.0 4.0 |
| Well West Vail 7&8 | West Vail | PFOA PFOS | 2.6 1.3* | 2.9 1.5* | 4.0 4.0 |
*Result is less than the laboratory reporting limit and therefore is an estimated value.
What should you do to reduce PFAS exposure?
You do not need to stop using tap water. People who are concerned can reduce exposure from drinking, cooking, and preparing baby formula by using water treated by an in-home water treatment filter that is certified to lower the levels of PFAS, or use water that has been treated with reverse osmosis. Use tap water for bathing, showering, brushing teeth, washing hands, watering yards, washing dishes, cleaning, and laundry. Boiling, freezing, or letting water stand does not reduce PFAS levels.
EPA and CDPHE do not recommend bottled water because CDPHE cannot verify that all bottled water is below PFAS health advisories. If you choose to use bottled water, CDPHE recommends choosing a brand that has been treated with reverse osmosis and includes this language on the bottle. Reverse osmosis is a treatment that removes PFAS.
You can also reduce exposure by reducing your use of household and everyday consumer goods that contain PFAS.
If you have specific health concerns, consult your doctor or access this information sheet, “Talking to Your Health Care Provider about PFAS.”
Next steps to address PFAS
Public health and providing high quality drinking water is our top priority. We are partnering with CDPHE to continue to assess PFAS levels in our source and treated drinking water through additional testing and evaluation, researching emerging treatment methods to reduce PFAS levels through comprehensive master planning, and protecting our source water from additional pollution. As we learn more, we will continue to update our customers with our ongoing PFAS monitoring data and response to this issue on this webpage.
Learn more about PFAS in drinking water and associated health information.
Contact customer service with any questions or concerns at 970-477-5451 or [email protected].