Drinking Water Facts:

Per- and Polyfluoroalkyl Substances(PFAS) in Drinking Water
Updated April 2024

General information

PFAS are a large group of manmade chemicals which
repel water and oil and are resistant to heat andchemical reactions. Because of these properties, they
have important industrial and commercial uses andhave been used since the 1940s. PFAS are used in the
production of some non-stick cookware, in waterproof
and stain proof coatings, in “leak-proof” coatings onfood packaging materials, in fire-fighting foams, andother applications.
PFAS can enter drinking water through industrial
release to water, air, or soil; discharges from sewage
treatment plants; land application of contaminatedsludge; leaching from landfills; and use of certain firefighting foams. These chemicals do not break down in
the environment.

Four types of PFAS have been found in the blood(serum) of greater than 98% of the United States
population. These long-chain PFAS build up andstay in the human body for many years. The levels
decrease very slowly over time after exposure is
reduced or stopped.
• PFOS: perfluorooctane sulfonate• PFOA: perfluorooctanoic acid
• PFNA: perfluorononanoic acid
• PFHxS: perfluorohexane sulfonate

Exposure to PFASPFOA, PFOS, and PFNA dissolve in water. If drinking
water is contaminated, it is a primary source of
exposure to PFAS as compared with other common
exposure sources. Other sources of exposure to these
PFAS include food, food packaging, consumer
products, house dust, indoor and outdoor air, andworkplaces where PFAS are used or made. Exposurein drinking water is primarily from ingestion of thewater and food prepared with the water. These PFAS
are not removed from water by boiling. Exposure tothese PFAS from showering, bathing, laundry,
dishwashing, and rinsing produce is not significant.

Health effects of PFAS

Studies of the general population, communities with
PFAS-contaminated drinking water, and exposed
workers indicate that exposure to PFAS increases
the risk of a number of health effects. Health effects
from PFAS are observed within the general
population even without exposure to PFAS fromcontaminated drinking water.
The most consistent human health effect findings for
PFOA and PFOS – the most well studied of the PFAS
types – are increases in serum cholesterol, uric acidlevels, decreased birthweight, and decreased
antibody response following vaccination, as well as
increased blood levels of some liver enzymes for
PFOA. Although not as well studied, PFNA appears toincrease blood levels of cholesterol and some liver
enzymes. Human health effects of these PFAS are
generally consistent with the toxicity of PFAS
observed in laboratory animals.
PFOA and PFOS caused tumors in rodents, while
PFNA has not been tested for this effect. In humans,
PFOA exposure was associated with a higher
incidence of kidney cancer in both the general
population and in a community with substantial
levels of PFOA in drinking water, and with testicularcancer in the community with contaminateddrinking water.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s
Agency for Toxic Substance Disease Registry(CDC/ATSDR) is conducting the “PFAS Multi-site
Study,” to learn more about the relationship between
PFAS exposure and health outcomes. This work is
taking place across seven U.S. communities exposed
to PFAS-contaminated drinking water. Work is
ongoing, and results are pending. To learn more visit
bit.ly/ATSDR-PFAS

Consumer, Environmental and Occupational Health Service
Environmental and Occupational Health Surveillance Program
nj.gov/health/ceohs/sanitation-safety/drinking-water-public-health/index.shtml

Page 1

Drinking Water Facts: Per- and Polyfluoroalkyl Substances (PFAS) in Drinking Water– Page 2

Impact of PFAS on children
Infants and children consume more water per bodyweight than older individuals, so their exposure may behigher than adults when drinking water iscontaminated with PFAS. They may also be moresensitive to the effects of PFAS.

In humans, exposure to PFAS before birth or in earlychildhood may result in health effects including
decreased birth weight, decreased response tovaccinations, and increased risk of infectious disease. In
laboratory animals, some PFAS, including PFOA, PFOS,
PFNA, and others, cause developmental delays.

Can I have my blood tested for PFAS?

Laboratory tests are available to measure PFAS in blood
serum, but this is not a routine test. Health insurance
may not cover the cost of this testing. While pursuingthis type of specialized testing is a personal decision
between you and your doctor, it is important tounderstand what testing can and cannot tell you.
What blood testing can tell you –• Blood test results can be compared to national
monitoring data collected from a representative
sample of the U.S. population. The table below
provides the most recently available (20172018) blood serum levels of the four PFAS mostcommonly detected in the U.S. population.

•

PFAS
PFOS
PFOA
PFNA
PFHxS

Mean
(geometric)
4.25
1.42
0.41
1.08

50th
percentile
4.30
1.47
0.40
1.10

95th
percentile
14.6
3.77
1.40
3.70

For example, if your concentration is higher
than the 95th percentile, this means your blood
serum is higher than the concentration found in
95% of the U.S. population.

What blood testing cannot tell you –• While exposure to PFAS can increase the risk ofcertain health effects, a blood test indicatingthat you have been exposed to PFAS cannot be
used to predict whether you will experience
health effects or if PFAS exposure caused any
health problems you may have.
• Test results alone cannot be used to identify
specific sources of exposure.
• There is no accepted treatment to reduce levels
of PFAS in the blood. Levels decrease slowly
over many years when exposure has been
reduced or eliminated.

What are the NJ drinking water
standards for PFAS?
In 2018, NJ became the first state to establish an
enforceable drinking water standard for a PFAS
chemical when it set a Maximum Contaminant Level(MCL) for PFNA. MCLs for PFOA and PFOS followed in
2020.
NJ MCLS for PFAS

PFNA
PFOA

13 ppt14 pptPFOS

13 ppt__________________

Abbreviations: ppt=parts per trillion; ppt = ng/L = nanograms per liter

A maximum contaminant level (MCL) is anenforceable drinking water standard which requires
all public water systems to routinely monitor. If levels
are found to be above the NJ MCL, the water utility
must take actions to reduce levels below the MCL.
Available water treatment technologies can effectively
reduce levels of PFAS. Many systems that exceeded the
NJ MCLs, have since reduced PFAS concentrations to
non-detectable levels. Your public water utility will
monitor and report these levels on a regular basis.
Water results are available on NJDEP’s Drinking Water
Watch website.
The NJ Drinking Water Quality Institute (DWQI), an
advisory body composed of scientists and technicalexperts from academia, the water industry,
environmental health, the NJ Department ofEnvironmental Protection (NJDEP), and the NJ
Department of Health (NJDOH) is responsible fordeveloping NJ MCLs and recommending them to the
NJDEP. The NJ PFAS MCLs are based on studies ofeffects on laboratory animals.

Until recently, there were no national PFAS drinking
water standards. In April 2024, USEPA finalized MCLs
that considers including data on health effects inhuman populations exposed to low levels of PFAS.
These new MCLs will result in additional public healthprotection from exposure to these chemicals in
drinking water. Federal USEPA MCLs will require NJ
drinking water systems to reduce PFOA and PFOS
concentrations to even lower levels in drinking water
and will address three additional PFAS not currently
regulated in NJ. More detail is provided on Page 3.

Drinking Water Facts: Per- and Polyfluoroalkyl Substances (PFAS) in Drinking Water – Page 3

What are the USEPA drinking water
standards for PFAS?

•USEPA finalized National Primary Drinking Water
Regulations (MCLs) for six PFAS in April 2024. Thesestandards are enforceable.
PFAS
Compounds

•

•

•

•

Final
MCL

PFOS

4.0 ppt

PFOA

4.0 ppt

PFHxS

10 pptPFNA

10 pptGenX

10 pptMixture containing
two or more of
PFNA, PFHxS,PFBS, and GenX(HFPO-DA)

HazardIndex=1.0

Public water systems must monitor for these
PFAS. They have three years to complete initialmonitoring (by 2027) and then must continue
ongoing compliance monitoring. Water systems
must provide the public with their monitoring
results beginning in 2027.

If levels of PFAS are found to exceed the USEPAMCLs, water systems will have five years (by2029) to implement solutions to reduce levels
below the MCL. By 2029, water systems will haveto provide notification to the public of a violation.

State standards may not be higher (less strict)than federal standards. Now that the USEPA has
adopted national MCLs, New Jersey public water
systems will be required to comply with thelower USEPA MCLs, by no later than 2027.

Water systems in NJ are currently required tomonitor for three PFAS and comply with NJ MCL
standards. Many NJ water systems have now
reduced PFAS to non-detectable levels. NJDEP
and your public water system will have the mostup to date PFAS monitoring data.

•

•

•

•

The Hazard Index approach adopted by
USEPA will regulate four additional PFAS as a
mixture. USEPA has developed the following
Health Based Water Concentrations (HBWCs)
for the four PFAS included in the Hazard
Index:•PFHxS – 10 ppt•
PFNA – 10 ppt•
GenX – 10 ppt•
PFBS – 2000 ppt

The USEPA’s Hazard Index MCL applies to any
mixture containing two or more of the four
PFAS (listed above). The Hazard Index is
calculated by summing the ratios of eachindividual PFAS measured chemicalcompared to its HBWC.
The USEPA MCLs of 4.0 ppt for PFOA andPFOS are set at the USEPA Practical
Quantitation Levels, which are the levels thatlaboratory methods can accurately measure
PFOA and PFOS in water.

USEPA has concluded that PFOA and PFOS are
likely human carcinogens and has set their
Maximum Contaminant Level Goals (MCLGs;
health-based levels) at zero.
Additional information on USEPA MCLs isavailable: epa.gov/sdwa/and-polyfluoroalkylsubstances-pfas

Drinking Water Facts: Per- and Polyfluoroalkyl Substances (PFAS) in Drinking Water – Page 4

Recommendations:

PFOA, PFOS, and PFNA build up in the body over time,and it takes many years for the levels of these PFAS in
your body to decrease after exposure has ended. Since
New Jersey has established MCLs, water systems acrossthe state are taking action to reduce concentrations ofthese PFAS to levels below the NJ MCLs. Some utilities
have achieved non-detectable levels since the NJ MCLs
have been in place. You can find more information at
the NJDEP website: dep.nj.gov/pfas/

If PFAS are detected in your drinking
water:

Some water systems are still working on establishingtreatment solutions to reduce PFAS concentration
below the NJ MCL. If you learn that a PFAS isdetected in your drinking water supply above a
New Jersey MCL, until your water utility has
reduced PFAS levels:• For nursing (breastfed) babies: PFAS arepresent in breast milk and can be transferred tonursing babies. Despite this exposure, mothers
who are breastfeeding should continue to nurse.
The extensive information on the health benefitsof breastfeeding suggests that benefits ofbreastfeeding outweigh potential risk of additional
PFAS exposure.
• For all babies: Bottled water should be used
when giving infants just water and preparing juice
made from concentrate for infants.
• For pregnant women, nursing women andwomen considering or planning on having achild: Switching to bottled water or using a homewater filter for drinking and cooking will reduce
PFAS exposure. However, PFAS are slowly
excreted from the body. Therefore, risk reduction
will not be immediate, as exposure to the fetus andnursing infant is influenced by the mother’s past
exposure.
• For older children and adults: If a public water
utility notifies you that a PFAS exceeds the NJ MCL,
they are required to promptly take actions to
reduce these levels. Individuals who wish to
reduce exposure to PFAS while the water utility is
taking actions to reduce levels can consider
switching to bottled or home filtered water for
drinking and cooking.

Anyone concerned about their health should consult
with their personal health care provider.

For health care providers:

Health care providers can find more information onclinical evaluation and management of patients from
ATSDR at:

atsdr.cdc.gov/pfas/resources/info-for-healthprofessionals.html
For the general population:

Drinking water is an important exposure source to
PFAS. Your public water system is required tomonitor for PFOA, PFOS, and PFNA. If results exceed
the NJ MCLs, the water utility must inform you. Moreinformation on where to find water results are in thesection that follows. Monitoring for additional PFAS
is required by 2027.

Bottled water sold in NJ is required to meet the NJ
MCLs. Additionally, some water filters are certified toreduce PFAS concentrations below 20 ppt but thesealternative drinking water sources are not ensured
to have PFAS concentrations lower than the NJ MCLs.
More information on where to find out about bottled
water monitoring and home water filters can befound on Page 5.

Drinking Water Facts: Per- and Polyfluoroalkyl Substances (PFAS) in Drinking Water – Page 5

How can I find out if PFAS are detected in
my drinking water?
Public Water Users
NJ public water systems were required to begin
monitoring for PFNA in 2020 and for PFOA and PFOS in
2021. These results are available on NJDEP’s Drinking
Water Watch website. This is a database that issearchable by water system ID number, system name,or (if you don't know the ID number or name) bycounty and municipality, to identify all systems serving
that area. Information on which utilities serve yourarea can also be found at this site.
Some water systems have earlier results through the
EPA Unregulated Contaminant Monitoring Rule
(UCMR3). These UCMR3 results were reported in yourannual Consumer Confidence Reports (CCRs) which
may be available online or mailed to your home
directly by your water provider. CCRs are also found on
NJDEP Drinking Water Watch. UCMR5, which began inJan. 2023 and is testing all PWS with >3300 users for
29 PFAS at low Reporting Levels and results will bereported as they become available. Additionally, a listof public water systems with PFOA, PFOS, and/or PFNA
MCL violations is available here: visit NJDEP
DataMiner: njems.nj.gov/DataMiner/ [Search by
Category > Water Supply and Geoscience > Scroll to“Public Water Systems with PFAS MCL Violations”]
Private Well Users
As of December 1, 2021, the NJ MCLs for PFNA, PFOA,
and PFOS were included as required parameters in
the NJ Private Well Testing Act (NJ PWTA). The NJ
PWTA is a consumer information law that requires
private well water be tested by a certified laboratory
during real estate transfer. It also requires landlords
to test well water supplied to tenants every five years
and provide the results.

Well owners who are not selling their home may wantto test their drinking water for PFAS. If you decide totest, we recommend you use a certified laboratory:
njems.nj.gov/DataMiner/Search/SearchByCategory?isExternal=y&getCategory=y&catName=Certified%20L
aboratories
Private well owners should be aware of the more
stringent USEPA standards when interpreting theirresults. However, bottled water or filters are not yet
certified to reduce PFAS concentration to the new
USEPA standards. Also, at this time if PFAS are
detected in your well water, only homes above the NJ
standards would be eligible for the NJ Spill Fund:dep.nj.gov/srp/finance/eca-spill-fund/.

Did You Know?
Bottled water sold in NJ is regulated by the NJ
Department of Health and is required to meet Safe
Drinking Water standards. N.J.A.C. 8:21-5.1 et. seq

How do I know that my bottled water
does not exceed the NJ drinking water
standards for PFAS?

Companies that sell bottled water in NJ were required
to analyze for PFNA, PFOA, and PFAS annually.
Bottled water companies are required to submit theirannual monitoring results to NJDOH with theapplication for their annual license. At this time, they
are only required to meet the NJ standards. Moreinformation on NJ’s Bottled Water Program can befound here:
nj.gov/health/ceohs/documents/phfpp/BWStandards.pdf

Where can I get more information
about home water filters?

Water treatment devices utilizing granular or
powdered activated carbon filters, reverse osmosis, ion
exchange resins and other specialized treatment media
are technologies that can reduce the level of PFAS in
drinking water. If a water treatment device is used, it isimportant to follow the manufacturer’s guidelines formaintenance and operation.

NSF International, an independent and accreditedorganization, certifies products proven effective for
reducing PFOA and PFOS below the previous USEPA
Health Advisory of 70 ppt (2020 standard version).
Recently, the NSF standards have been updated to more
stringent levels below 20 ppt (2022 standard version).
When purchasing a filter, verify that the product is
NSF/ANSI standard 53 and check for the standard
version to know at which level the filter is certified toremove total PFAS (PFOA, PFOS, PFNA, PFHxS, PFHpA).

Please note, these products are not certified forremoval to the lower NJ MCLs of 14 and 13 ppt or the
lower USEPA MCLs.

Drinking Water Facts: Per- and Polyfluoroalkyl Substances (PFAS) in Drinking Water – Page 6

Additional Questions

If high levels of PFAS were detected in my water,
how will it affect fruits and vegetables in mygarden?
For gardening or farming, certain plants may take upsome PFAS from irrigation and soil. Unfortunately,
there is not enough scientific data to predict how much
will end up in any specific crop. For most people therisk from the occasional consumption of produce
grown in soil or irrigated with water contaminatedwith PFAS is likely to be low. For families who grow alarge fraction of their produce, the risk of exposure to
PFAS may be higher and they can consider thefollowing steps:• Maximize use of water from an uncontaminatedsource for your garden.
• Wash your produce in clean water after you
harvest it.
• Modify your soil with clean compost. Increasing
the organic content of your garden soil can preventthe uptake of PFAS into plants.
If PFAS are present above the NJ MCL, whatwater should I give my pets?
Scientists are not certain of the health impacts to pets.
If you are concerned, you may choose to give your petbottled or filtered water until your water utility has
reduced the concentrations of PFAS in the drinking
water below the NJ MCL.

If PFAS are present above the NJ MCL, whatwater should I use in my humidifier?
In line with USEPA recommendations, bottled water orhome filtered water should be used in your humidifier
until levels of PFAS in your drinking water are reduced.

Additional Resources

NJ Department of Environmental Protection –• NJDEP PFAS: dep.nj.gov/pfas/• Drinking Water: dep.nj.gov/pfas/drinking-water/• Site Remediation Program:nj.gov/dep/srp/emerging-contaminants/• New Jersey Drinking Water Quality Institute:state.nj.us/dep/watersupply/g_boards_dwqi.html

NJ Department of Health• Bottled Water:
nj.gov/health/ceohs/documents/phfpp/BWStanda
rds.pdf
NSF International –• More info NSF certified home water filters, visit:
nsf.org/consumer-resources/waterquality/drinking-water/

CDC ATSDR –• PFAS Multi-site Study:
atsdr.cdc.gov/pfas/activities/studies/multi-site.html• Detailed summaries of the toxicology andepidemiology studies on PFAS:
atsdr.cdc.gov/toxprofiles/tp200.pdf• Health care provider guidance:
atsdr.cdc.gov/pfas/docs/PFAS-info-for-clinicians508.pdf
US Environmental Protection Agency –• Final PFAS National Primary Drinking Regulation:
epa.gov/sdwa/and-polyfluoroalkyl-substances-pfas

What water should I use in my continuous
positive airway pressure (CPAP) machine?
Individuals should continue to follow existing medical
guidance regarding the use of distilled water in CPAP
machines as instructed by the manufacturer and theirdoctor.

Consumer, Environmental and Occupational Health Service
Environmental and Occupational Health Surveillance Program
nj.gov/health/ceohs/sanitation-safety/drinking-water-public-health/index.shtml