Fort Worth working to remove toxic PFAS chemicals from city water

Fort Worth is undertaking a new study of how to upgrade its water treatment facilities to filter out toxic PFAS chemicals.

Testing conducted by the city in 2023 found that citywide, the average detected level of some PFAS chemicals in Fort Worth’s water supply is more than 500 times the EPA’s safe standard for consistent exposure.

“The fact that there are some levels that are above the contaminant limit, that means that we need to be doing something,” said Chris Harder, water director for the city of Fort Worth.

PFAS is a type of chemical used in a range of products that includes nonstick pans and firefighting foam.

In recent years environmental testing nationwide has shown that these chemicals are making their way into the groundwater.

According to the EPA, extended exposure to PFAS has been linked to cancer, child developmental issues, and issues with suppressed vaccine response, among other medical conditions.

Since January 2023, Fort Worth has been testing water across the city for these chemicals.

Testing data showed that for the chemical PFOA, the average amount detected across the city was just over 2 parts per trillion.

The most recent lifetime exposure threshold established by the EPA in 2022 set the safe limit for PFOA in water at .004 parts per trillion. That would make Fort Worth’s average detected amount more than 500 times the safe lifetime exposure limit.

In some areas, the city found levels of PFOA above eight parts per trillion, more than two thousand times the EPA’s safe lifetime exposure limit.

“It’s a substantial problem,” Harder said. “It’s a substantial problem for us here in Fort Worth, but it’s a substantial problem for utilities across the nation.”

For the next nine months, Fort Worth will conduct a study of how to upgrade its water treatment plants to remove PFAS.

The price tag to build those fixes at each plant could also be significant.

“I would say here at Holly, maybe 50 to 60 million dollars,” Harder said.

Harder said testing has found the highest concentration of PFAS chemicals in the water around the Lake Worth area.

Situated nearby is the Naval Air Station Joint Reserve Base.

A 2019 analysis by the Navy found that because of years of using firefighting foam, “there is potential for PFOA, PFOS, and other PFAS to be in the groundwater on base, and it may be present in nearby private drinking water wells.”

In November, the Fort Worth city council authorized a potential lawsuit against chemical companies that have historically manufactured PFAS, as well as the US Department of Defense.

PFAS are called forever chemicals because they’ll never break down in nature. The burden will fall on communities to finally filter them out.

“It’s just something that’s going to be here to stay in our business,” Harder said.

NBC 5 reached out to NAS Joint Reserve Base in Fort Worth for a response to the city potentially suing the Department of Defense over PFAS contamination. We have not received a response.