PFAS Regulation in water supplies to affect Dallas and Fort Worth

The federal government is planning much higher treatment standards for public water supplies because of chemicals known as PFAS.

The potentially cancer-causing chemicals have not been regulated in water supplies in the past.

They are known as “forever” chemicals because they linger indefinitely in water, ground and air.

Both the Dallas and Fort Worth water have tested positive for PFAS levels above the proposed U.S. Environmental Protection Agency regulation threshold.

Here is a link to EPA PFAS information.

This is the August 17th PFAS information released from EPA

Independent North Texas experts said they support the EPA effort.

Un-Jung Kim is an Assistant Professor of Environmental Sciences at the University of Texas at Arlington.

“I would say it’s great to see that the data is more available, more publicly accessible,” Kim said.

Andrew Quicksall is an Associate Professor of Environmental Engineering at Southern Methodist University.

“I don’t think it’s a time for panic. I think it’s a time for education and to learn that these exist,” Quicksall said.

The EPA data shows much higher PFAS levels in ground water at the former Dallas Naval Air Station, now known as Hensley Field, where Dallas is suing the Navy for promised clean up.

High levels also show at the Lockheed Plant in Fort Worth.  Both are locations were fire fighting foam used over the years is the suspected cause of PFAS contamination.

The stuff was also used on Teflon pans.

“This reluctance to degrade on your pans and your fire suppressants, that’s the same that’s keeping them in the environment now. These are dubbed the “forever” chemicals,” Quicksall said.

The EPA is now considering new requirements to remove it from drinking water as new research suggests health consequences at lower levels of contamination.

Kim said she supports public awareness of the EPA’s lower threshold level.

“It is I would say strongly suggested. It would better to be careful right now,” Kim said.

A spokesperson for the City of Dallas said that Dallas Water Utilities will provide a briefing for a city council committee in October.  The City of Dallas declines additional comment until after that meeting.

Fort Worth Water Department Spokesperson Mary Gugliuzza said her city issued a request for proposals last month for firms that would provide monitoring and removal of PFAS.

“We are being proactive. As soon as we saw this coming down the road we started working on a plan,” she said. “We know it’s our job to protect public health.”

But Gugliuzza also said just 20% of estimated exposure to PFAS is from water. The “forever” chemicals can also be found many other places.

She said treatment options available now are limited and expensive.

“We’re just trying to remove it and then we’re left with a residual product that requires disposal,” Gugliuzza said.

Disposal is another unsolved complication in the ongoing process for PFAS inquiry.

Quicksall said it should be slow and methodical and more data is collected.

“Even though people’s health is at risk, and I’m keenly aware of the concern there, I think this process that’s in place is a good one. What’s important is that we are in it now as opposed to ignoring it,” Quicksall said.

The EPA posts show actions residents can take sooner with filtration methods.

This is human health information.

These are steps for individual action.

This is home treatment technology

Here is a link to the City of Fort Worth PFAS information.

This is Fort Worth Unregulated Contaminant Monitoring.

This is an interactive map of PFAS EPA data from the website ERG.org.