Shatter PFAS in Water

PFAS  are one group among 5 sometimes called “forever chemicals”. Other groups include PFOS, PFOA, PFHxS and PFNA.

These chemicals are found in many places in our environment.

Drinking water	landfills	food	clothing	makeup	older Teflon cookware prior to 2013
Home Products	Water and stain resistant products	Firefighting foam	Textiles	Food packaging	Dental floss
Rivers	Lakes	Streams	wastewater

Unlike many other chemicals PFAS and its related groups remain in the environment for long periods of time as they break down slowly compared to other substances. Industries who dump these products in landfills: or when discharged into the air during the manufacturing can create a port of entry into our water supply.

PFAS once in the environment travel migrating to all kinds of surfaces and seeping through the soil integrating itself into our water supply.

PFAS, PFOS, PFOA, PFHxS and PFNA are of great concern because they can effect our health. Once in the body they remain. It can take years for the body to reduce levels to just half. Not all PFAS/forever chemicals leave the body at the same rate. But just think as we are expelling old PFAS from our bodies, we are continually at the same time exposing ourselves to more PFAS. It is a continuous cycle.

Why should we be concerned about exposure to forever chemicals? The answer to that question is that they can wreak havoc on our health as time goes by causing illnesses like:

Cancer	Weakened immunity		Low  birthrate
Hormone interference	Liver disease		Kidney disease
Reproductive issues	Interfere with child development		Increase of cholesterol levels
Reduction in vaccine response	High blood pressure		Negative effects on the central nervous system
Increase obesity risk	Bone changes		Puberty irregularities
Behavioral changes	Thyroid problems

Minnesota starting in 2032 will ban almost all intentional use of PFAS. Currently there is a ban on fast food and beverage packaging with no fine limits.

Other states are attempting a phase out PFAS in food packaging .

Vermont	Hawaii	Maryland	Rhode Island
Oregon	New York	Maine	California
Minnesota	Connecticut	Washington	Maryland

Across the USA states are beginning to understand how important it is to enact legislation to try to curb and reduce the opportunities for PFAS damage to our health

The concern is so great that recently the EPA has issued new guidelines regarding forever chemicals.

To keep up with new regulations and comments on PFAS check here: https://www.regulations.gov/   and also with the Environmental Protection Agency here: https://www.epa.gov/pfas/key-epa-actions-address-pfas

At this date and time we’re not going to get rid of forever chemicals because they are so prevalent but we can try to limit our exposure especially in our drinking water.

Reverse Osmosis Protection From PFAS

If you have tested your water and found concerning levels of PFAS in your water or you are concerned that it might be there. Then there are steps that you can take to significantly reduce your exposure.

Test your water for PFAS paid link

Use an alternate source of water. Spring water would not be a good choice because PFAS has been detected. If you’re buying water then you want water that has been filtered through reverse osmosis. Water that is purified will use reverse osmosis and reading the label will often verify this. You also can call, email or write the manufacture from provided contact information.

Investing in your own at home water purification system is your best bet. This will allow you more control over the final product.

There are a number of ways to approach this process. You can filter water from the point of entry (POE) which would commonly be your whole house water filtration system and you would need a large storage tank. If space is tight, this sort of filtration unit just may not be a feasible option.  Choosing this option would be the one requiring the most maintenance:

• Cleaning the tank to avoid problem with bacteria
• If your water pressure is to low then you may need to install a booster pump.
•  Plus you will need to change the filters according to recommendations.
• Installing one of these units may require professional help

Another alternative is point of use or a under the sink filtration system and here you have 2 options either with a tank or without. If you’re planning or using a unit with a tank you will still have some of the pitfalls that go along with the use of a storage tank like bacteria. Installation may be a bit easier but depending on your situation again you may find that professional help is appreciated. 

Tankless reverse osmosis is another animal all together; it is a newer technology with less maintenance. If you’re not particularly handy with tools and home do it yourself projects, getting the help of a professional may save you the trouble of making costly installation mistakes.  One of the benefits of tankless under the counter system is freeing up more space under the counter for you. After installation, for most the biggest chore would be to change the filters when needed. And this is a snap. Best of all usually these units have a change filter indicator which will tell you when it’s time. So there is no guess work involved.

Another bonus is less waste water, saving you money on your water bill.

As far as cost tankless reverse osmosis filtration can start just over $200 and go up to thousands depending on where you buy and how many bells and whistles you want in a unit.

There are also countertop versions where everything is self-contained; you need only to plug it in. With these units when you want filtered water just fill the unit’s water container and let it go to work. Some include an UV (ultraviolet) sterilizing feature to help neutralize bacteria and microorganisms.

Unlike with under the counter tankless installation there’s:

• No need for tools
• No need to connect a hose to the water supply,
• No connecting hoses to the unit
• No drilling
• No need to replace your current countertop faucet with the unit’s faucet
• No tube cutting
• No need to make connections for uv sterilizer if unit has one
• No need to drill holes in the drain pipe
• No tubing to discharge waste water down the drain
• No plumbing checks for leaks after installation

No need to call the plumber if connection problems arise But the one drawback that all tankless systems is whether they be under the counter or countertop is they require the use of electricity. So in the event of a power outage, due to weather or for other reasons this can get a little tricky; especially, if the outage is over an extended period of time.  Storing some water in advance can save you a trip to the supermarket only to find empty shelves due to panic buying.