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WATER CONTAMINATION

Drinking water systems throughout the United States have been contaminated with PFAS, a group of chemicals known to cause cancer, thyroid disease, and other health problems.

EVERY PERSON HAS A RIGHT TO CLEAN DRINKING WATER

Our mission is to empower municipal decision-makers to advocate for your community by representing you against BigChem companies.

  • Get access to accurate, industry standard testing about the chemical levels in your municipal drinking water systems without putting the cost on your community.
  • Understand contamination levels and next steps to most effectively — and quickly — protect your community from dangerous drinking water caused by PFAS and PFOAS from BigChem.
  • Make BigChem pay for the damage they’ve done to your community and their families.

WHAT ARE PFAS / PFOA

A PFOA or PFOAS is an emerging contaminant that has been found in the drinking water of many communities across the United States.

PFOAs are perfluorinated chemicals (PFCs), also known as polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS). PFOAs have been used for many years in consumer products such as Teflon™ cookware and Scotchgard™ fabric protector.

PFOAs are difficult to remove from water because they do not break down in the environment and can last for a long time. When the chemicals break down, they form PFOS and PFOA. These breakdown products are considered more toxic than original PFOA compounds.

The state and federal government have set limits on how much PFOA/PFAS can be present in drinking water supplies. The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has set a health advisory level of 4 parts per trillion (ppt) for these chemicals in drinking water; this health advisory level is based on animal studies that show possible effects at high doses with long-term exposure or at lower doses with short-term exposure.

sources of pfas chemicals including non stick frying pans
toxic chemicals being dumped into water including pfas and pfoas

HOW DO PFAS & PFOA GET INTO THE WATER?

PFOA/PFOA is a chemical that has been used in the manufacturing of many consumer products, including nonstick pans and stain-resistant clothing. It’s also found in the water supply.

more than 100 million people in the US receive drinking water from public-supply wells

water

83% of waterways tested across the country contain PFAS

SAFE DRINKING WATER ACT

The Safe Drinking Water Act (SDWA) was passed by Congress in 1974, with amendments added in 1986 and 1996, to protect our drinking water. Under the SDWA, EPA sets the standards for drinking water quality and monitors states, local authorities, and water suppliers who enforce those standards.

As part of the SDWA, EPA has set maximum contaminant levels, as well as treatment requirements for over 90 different contaminants in public drinking water.
SAFE DRINKING WATER Logo
drawing of a water tower

PFAS IN PUBLIC WATER SYSTEMS

Roughly 95% of the U.S. population relies on public water systems to supply their household water for cooking, cleaning, bathing, and drinking.

Most tap water is contaminated with at least one part per trillion (ppt) of PFAS and are found in the bodies of 97% of Americans.

PFAS are in most public water systems across the country, which means they are in most families’ homes and used daily for drinking, cooking, and bathing.

The EPA classifies public water systems into three types:

  1. Community Water Systems (CWS)
  2. Non-Transient Non-Community Water Systems (NTNCWS)
  3. Transient Non-Community Water Systems (TNCWS)

Across the United States, each of these public drinking water systems has been exposed to PFAS at dangerous levels.

TOXIC PUBLIC DRINKING WATER

In June 2022, the EPA released updated guidelines on the levels of PFAS that are considered safe for public drinking water.

How To Test

The most important factor in testing for levels of PFAS in public drinking water is the lab you use. Creating a dialogue with the lab and understanding their testing conditions, as well as the equipment they use, can have a huge impact on the results your tests show regarding the levels of PFAS in the water.

Problems with Test Results

Not all tests are created equal. The most common reaction we hear when we talk to municipality decision makers and plant managers is that the water has been tested or that they don’t want to place the financial burden on their taxpayers.

1. https://www.epa.gov/water-research/pfas-analytical-methods-development-and-sampling-research, 2023

4 parts per trillion (ppt)

EPA health advisory level

How To Test

LC-MS/MS tests are considered the industry standard when detecting small — yet harmful amounts of PFAS in municipal drinking water systems.

beakers

Where do the chemicals come from?

PFAS enter municipal drinking water systems in several ways. Once the chemicals enter the air or the water, they do not decompose naturally or chemically. Humans then drink the water and are exposed to PFAS and their dangerous effects on human health, including cancer, liver disease, and kidney disease.

HEALTH ISSUES CAUSED BY PFAS IN WATER

A recent review from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) outlines a host of health effects associated with PFAS exposure, including cancer, liver damage, decreased fertility, and increased risk of asthma and thyroid disease.

person in hospital
drawing of a public water tower

HOW TO TEST YOUR WATER FOR PFAS?

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has developed two different test methodologies to support its ongoing effort to address the presence of PFAS in drinking water sources and meet the requirements of the Safe Drinking Water Act (SDWA).

These test methods are:

  • Method 537: Determination of Perfluorooctanoic Acid, Perfluorooctanesulfonic Acid, and Perfluorohexanesulfonic Acid in Drinking Water by Liquid Chromatography Tandem Mass Spectrometry (LC-MS/MS)
  • Method 531: Determination of Perfluorooctanoic Acid, Perfluorooctanesulfonic Acid, and Perfluorohexanesulfonic Acid in Drinking Water by Liquid Chromatography with Electrospray Ionization Tandem Mass Spectrometry (LC-MS/MS)

HOW TO REMOVE PFAS FROM WATER

PFAS can be removed from water through reverse osmosis, activated carbon filtration, and ion exchange.

Reverse osmosis

A reverse osmosis (RO) system uses pressure to push unfiltered water through a semipermeable membrane. The membrane has small pores that block contaminants, such as PFAS, but allow clean water to flow through to the other side. Reverse osmosis is one of the most comprehensive water treatment methods to remove contaminants.

Activated carbon filtration

Carbon filters contain activated carbon that has an abundance of pores along its surface and infrastructure. When water runs through the activated carbon, PFAS and other contaminants are captured or altered by a process called adsorption, and clean water emerges on the other side.

Ion exchange

Ion exchange water treatment involves a chemical process in which undesirable dissolved ions, such as PFAS, nitrate, and sulfate, are exchanged for other ions with a similar charge. Ions are atoms or molecules with either a positive or negative electrical charge. Ion exchange water treatment systems contain an anion resin that captures negatively charge ions (e.g., PFAS) and a cation resin that captures positively charged ions (e.g., hardness causing calcium and magnesium)
drawing of tanks and tubes

TEST YOUR DRINKING WATER

We take the bull by the horns and give you clear and practical advice. Personal, to the point and in plain language. Any questions? Feel free to call or to drop by.

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our team

With our vast experience, resources, and dedication, we work to make sure justice is served. If you think you may have a claim and need legal help to hold those parties responsible for damage that they have caused, contact an attorney from our firm.

Michael Stag of the law firm Stag Liuzza in New Orleans
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matthew d rogenes attorney at stag liuzza

$1.056 billion verdict against Exxon Mobil

We take the bull by the horns and give you clear and practical advice. Personal, to the point, and in plain language. Any questions? Feel free to call or to drop by.

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Stag Liuzza fights industry giants across the country and holds them accountable for their actions. We strive to ensure that communities have access to safe drinking water, clean air, and a healthy environment.

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www.cleangroundwater.com is operated and provided by Stag Liuzza, LLC responsible attorneys Michael G. Stag and Ashley M. Liuzza. Stag Liuzza, LLC is officed in New Orleans, LA, and our attorneys are licensed in Louisiana and Mississippi.

Nothing on this site should be taken to establish an attorney-client relationship with us unless and until a contract for representation is signed. The attorneys of Stag Liuzza are licensed in Louisiana and Mississippi and may associate counsel licensed in other jurisdictions as necessary.

Past results do not guarantee any similar result or outcome in your claim. Each claim is different.

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