Latest water take a look at outcomes from the town of Vancouver present ranges for some PFAS, also called ceaselessly chemical substances, have decreased whereas others have remained regular or elevated.
Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances — PFAS — are a big group of chemical substances that features perfluorooctane sulfonate, or PFOS, perfluorooctanoic acid, PFOA, perfluorononanoic acid, PFNA, and perfluorohexane sulfonate, or PFHxS, all of which have been detected in people.
Water samples collected in February confirmed PFOA ranges at 5 of the town’s 9 water stations above the utmost degree of 4 elements per trillion set by the U.S. Environmental Safety Company. For these 5 water stations, ranges ranged from 4.4 to eight.8 elements per trillion, that are nonetheless beneath the state degree of 10 elements per trillion.
In comparison with take a look at outcomes from August and November, the current outcomes present some enchancment. These earlier take a look at outcomes ranged from 4.9 to 12.5 elements per trillion. Moreover, PFOS ranges in any respect however one water station remained above the EPA most of 4 elements per trillion, starting from 4.9 to 17 elements per trillion. Solely two of the 9 stations had been above the state degree. The 2024 take a look at outcomes for the 9 stations ranged from 5.5 to 21.4 elements per trillion.
Perpetually chemical substances got here into widespread use within the Nineteen Forties and ’50s, and had been used to make a big selection of merchandise, together with nonstick cookware, stain-resistant materials for out of doors clothes, meals packaging and firefighting foam. Though some older PFAS have since been banned or are not used, newer PFAS are nonetheless in use at this time.
Information from the Facilities for Illness Management and Prevention exhibits PFAS can enhance well being dangers. Publicity to PFAS might result in larger levels of cholesterol, elevated liver enzymes, elevated danger of kidney and testicular most cancers, and elevated danger of thyroid illness.
Vancouver has been testing for PFAS at its 9 water stations since at the very least 2013, properly earlier than the EPA established most ranges for six forms of the ceaselessly chemical substances. Take a look at outcomes from 2013 discovered no detectable ranges of PFAS in Vancouver’s water provide. In late 2020, new testing strategies discovered low ranges of the ceaselessly chemical substances. Extra testing in 2023 and 2024, which is now achieved quarterly, discovered growing ranges of the chemical substances.
Vancouver is working to cut back the degrees of ceaselessly chemical substances in its consuming water provide. Thus far, the town has raised about $37.5 million by way of state and federal grants and low-interest loans. That’s about 20 p.c of the $200 million the town might want to set up filtration methods the place wanted.
“Our proposed PFAS treatment will remove PFAS compounds for compliance with the EPA’s (maximum contaminant levels). Technology in drinking water treatment media is continuously evolving with new understandings of emerging contaminants, and so we’re designing our systems to be as flexible and adaptable as possible to adopt new treatment media if appropriate for our production sites,” Walters stated.
Upgrades are deliberate for water Stations 4, 9 and 14, with Station 14 set to be the primary to obtain the brand new filtration system. Walters stated development is anticipated to start this summer time.
Walters stated Station 4 is within the design section for therapy methods, with development anticipated to start out in 2026. Water Station 9 will full the design section later this 12 months.
“As treatment is brought online, PFAS concentrations in our water system will decline. We’re prioritizing treatment at our production facilities that have higher PFAS concentrations,” Walters stated.
