Despite mounting concern, according to a report released this week by the Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ), 90% of tested water supplies didn’t have detectable amounts of PFAS. Throughout 2018, the $1.7 million study tested samples from 1,114 public water systems, 461 schools that operate their own wells, and 17 tribal water systems. Of the 10% where PFAS was detected, 7% were very low levels under 10 parts per trillion and the remaining 3% had PFAS levels between 10 and 70 parts per trillion.

Only the city of Parchment and Robinson Elementary School near Grand Haven had test results exceeding the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and Lifetime Health Advisory of 70 parts per trillion in drinking water.

In addition to public water systems, schools, and tribal systems, DEQ has expanded its PFAS testing to include 168 childcare providers and Head Start programs in the state that operate their own wells. To date 152 of these test results have been received and 89% have been non-detectable, 6% have less than 10 parts per trillion, and 5% have 10 parts per trillion or higher.

Statewide testing results are published on the Michigan PFAS Action Response Team (MPART) web site. Roughly 75% of the state’s drinking water comes from public systems. Although private residential wells are not within the scope of the study of public water supplies, information on independent testing and filtering options is available from MPART at www.Michigan.gov/PFASresponse.

PFAS compounds are a group of emerging and potentially harmful contaminants used in thousands of applications globally including firefighting foam, food packaging, and many other consumer products.  These compounds also are used by industries such as tanneries, metal platers, and clothing manufacturers. The discovery of PFAS contamination is a nationally growing trend across the United States.

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