New National ‘Forever Chemical Crisis’ Water Map Includes Idaho

The latest federal water monitoring data show an increase in polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAs) at testing sites throughout the United States since 2020.

The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) oversees the monitoring of county water throughout the country, and current findings indicate that while these man-made, synthetic chemicals are showing up in water across America, they are more prevalent in the Eastern U.S.

America's drinking water has become a hotly debated subject in recent decades. Research into PFAS, or 'forever chemicals,' is widely considered inconclusive by many in the healthcare industry, and the amount a human can ingest or absorb over a lifetime without compromising their health is also cause for disagreements from those on both sides of the fence.

New U.S. Water Monitoring Data Shows An Increase In PFAS At City Testing Sites Since 2020

PFAS can show up in everything from home building materials and cookware to clothing and electronics, according to the National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences. Earlier this year, the city of Twin Falls, Idaho, made regional news after a city water employee was terminated over unsafe monitoring practices.

Credit: Greg Jannetta

Compared to national testing results from six years ago, newer data shows more regions of the country producing findings where these chemicals are present at testing sites, according to Newsweek. A recent report from the Environmental Working Group (EWG) refers to the current problem with American drinking water as a 'crisis.'

READ MORE: Join Idaho's Fight Against Childhood Cancer

Multiple state testing sites that have produced these 'forever chemicals' have also been reported in Idaho in recent months, according to monitoring data.