High levels of 'forever chemicals' found in 11 RI water systems. What residents should know

PROVIDENCE – The ground is always shifting when it comes to toxic “forever chemicals” used in food packaging, cookware, clothing and firefighting foam.

As scientists find more health dangers associated with exposure to per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances, or PFAS, federal and state authorities are tightening regulations that restrict levels of the compounds in drinking water supplies.

Even pinpointing how much PFAS people are being exposed to in their water can be difficult as concentrations can fluctuate over time.

'Do not drink' orders issued for three systems

The latest testing by major water suppliers in Rhode Island is a case in point. After the results came in last month, the state Department of Health issued “do not drink” orders for three systems: Exeter Job Corps and the Ladd Center, which are both in Exeter and are supplied by the Quonset Development Corporation, and Bruin Plastics, in Burrillville.

All three had results that far exceed a national health advisory from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency that limits combined levels of two of the most common PFAS to 70 parts per trillion.

But in previous rounds of testing, results from the Ladd Center water system were lower than the EPA standard. How levels went from below 70 ppt in both 2017 and 2019 to 334 ppt in the two tests conducted this year is unclear.

“We just don’t know,” said Amy Parmenter, chief of the health department’s Center for Drinking Water Quality.

It could be a new source of pollution that’s contaminating the water or it could be a historical source that wasn’t a problem in the past, said Parmenter and Michael Byrns, a toxicologist at the department.

What's causing the contamination?

A spokesman for the Quonset Development Corporation said it’s too soon to say what’s causing the contamination.

“It’s premature to speculate about the source of contamination, as restoring service to the campus is currently the top priority,” said David Preston. “That said, we do plan to locate the source of the contamination and will share those results with you when we have them.”

Ladd and Exeter Job Corps, which combined serve 429 people, and Bruin Plastics, which has 50 employees, are providing bottled water in lieu of tap water, according to the health department.

The latest testing was mandated by a new state law signed by Gov. Dan McKee last year that limits the total concentration of six of the most common PFAS to 20 ppt.

Environmental and public health advocates in Rhode Island had long called for stricter regulation of the compounds, which have tainted water supplies across the nation, most commonly through the use of foam to control fires involving flammable liquids. The chemicals have been linked to cancers, low birth weights and hormonal problems. They’ve gotten their “forever” moniker because they persist in the environment.

The health department required all 170 of the state’s major drinking water suppliers to test for the chemicals by July 1 and report their results by Aug. 10. The department is still awaiting reports from six suppliers.

Eight other systems tested high

Along with the three systems that tested above the national 70 ppt advisory level, eight other systems had results higher than the 20 ppt state standard. They are: West Glocester Elementary School; Captain Isaac Paine School, in Foster; North Smithfield Middle and High schools; Carousel Industries, in Exeter; Wright’s Farm, in Burrillville; Coventry Air National Guard; Wood River Health Services, in Hopkinton; and the University of Rhode Island.

Under the law, they have 180 days to reach a consent agreement with the health department to remediate the problem, but, according to officials, many, such as Wright’s Farm, have already taken steps to access alternative water sources.

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How can PFAS levels be reduced?

For a system with multiple wells, a fix could be as simple as changing how it blends water. By either taking a contaminated well off-line or using less of its water, a system can bring down PFAS levels.

For example, the Coventry National Guard stopped using the well that exceeded the standard, according to the health department.

That may also be an option for North Smithfield, where only one of the two wells that supply the middle and high schools exceeded the state standard. The combined concentration for the two wells was 21 ppt, one point above the standard.

“The level of PFAS in our drinking water is not high enough for RIDOH to require that people not drink it but we must, and will, remediate it,” the school system said in a public notice.

One alternative solution is connecting to another water system entirely, as the Oakland Association did four years ago after its supplies were contaminated by firefighting foam stored by the Oakland-Mapleville Fire District.

Another option is installing filtration systems to remove PFAS entirely. A previous study by the health department estimated that a system for a school or similarly-sized supplier could cost up to $600,000. For a larger supplier, it could run into the millions.

The study estimated a system for URI, which with 19,354 people is by far the largest supplier that tested above 20 ppt, would cost around $10 million.

The health department said that consumers’ exposure to PFAS may not match testing levels because of how water systems manage their supplies.

“When you look at the results, those are the highest levels,” said department spokesman Joseph Wendelken. “It may not be what people are being exposed to because of blending.”

That’s the case with URI, which has two wells, only one of which tested above the state standard, said spokesman Anthony LaRoche. Nevertheless, he said, the university is working to address the contamination.

“URI is in the process of implementing a series of upgrades to its water system that are designed to reduce PFAS to levels well below the Rhode Island interim drinking water standard,” he said.

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Federal funding is available to help water systems address the PFAS problem. Rhode Island has already been awarded $7.5 million from last year’s Inflation Reduction Act for PFAS remediation and could be allocated another $30.5 million in coming years. The health department is also applying for another $18.9 million from the EPA.

The new state law is taking effect just as the federal government is considering even stricter rules on PFAS that could lead to yet more change for water systems. The rules proposed by the EPA, which could go into effect next year, would set individual limits for PFOA and PFOS, the two most common chemicals in the family, of 4 ppt each. For four other chemicals, the agency would use a “hazard index” to weigh cumulative risks from the substances.

Asked what impact the new regulations, if implemented, would have in Rhode Island, Parmenter was clear.

“Yes, more systems will be affected,” she said.

This article originally appeared on The Providence Journal: PFAS levels high in 11 RI water systems, state-mandated tests show