PFAS In Drinking Water, In Plain English

With Doctor Frank

PFAS In Drinking Water In Plain English
Intro

Hello, I’m Dr. Frank Stillo with East Coast Water Quality, and I’d like to introduce our new educational video series, PFAS & Drinking Water in Plain English.

Our goal is to help homeowners, families, and our customers better understand what PFAS—often called “forever chemicals”—are, how they can find their way into drinking water, and what can be done to reduce or remove them so you can enjoy safer drinking water in your home.

PFAS can be a complicated subject, and there’s a lot of technical information available. Through this series, we’ll explain these topics in clear, easy-to-understand language so you can make informed decisions about your family’s drinking water.

We also want this series to address the questions that matter most to you. If there’s a specific PFAS topic you’d like us to cover or a question you’d like answered, please don’t hesitate to reach out. Visit eastcoastwaterquality.com or send us an email, and we’ll consider your suggestions for future videos.

We hope you enjoy this series and find it both educational and helpful as you learn more about your drinking water and the steps you can take to protect it. Thank you for watching.

What You’ll Learn in This Video

  • What PFAS (“forever chemicals”) are and why they’re a growing concern.
  • How PFAS can enter your drinking water supply.
  • The potential health concerns associated with PFAS exposure.
  • The treatment options available to help reduce PFAS in your home’s drinking water.
  • The purpose of our ‘PFAS & Drinking Water in Plain English‘ educational video series.
  • How you can submit your own PFAS questions or suggest topics for future videos.

What Are PFAS & Why Are They In Drinking Water? Episode 1

Hi, I’m Dr. Frank with East Coast Water Quality. To begin our PFAS & Drinking Water in Plain English series, let’s answer one of the most common questions we receive: What are PFAS chemicals, and why are they found in our drinking water?

PFAS, which stands for per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances, are a large family of man-made chemicals used in thousands of everyday products. While the scientific name may sound intimidating, you’ve probably encountered PFAS many times without realizing it. They can be found in products such as cosmetics, dental floss, stain-resistant upholstery treatments, waterproof clothing, nonstick coatings, and many other household and industrial products.

These chemicals are used because they resist water, grease, heat, and stains extremely well. Unfortunately, the same properties that make PFAS useful in consumer products also make them a serious environmental concern.

PFAS are often called “forever chemicals” because they don’t naturally break down in the environment. Unlike many other chemicals, there are very few natural processes that can destroy them. Instead, they remain in soil and groundwater for years—or even decades—where they can eventually make their way into rivers, reservoirs, wells, and public drinking water supplies.

Once PFAS enter drinking water, people can be exposed to them through everyday consumption. Researchers have linked long-term exposure to certain PFAS compounds with a variety of potential health concerns, which is why these chemicals have received increasing attention from scientists and public health agencies.

In recent years, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has significantly increased its efforts to study PFAS and establish drinking water regulations designed to reduce public exposure. While progress has been made, developing and implementing nationwide regulations takes time.

If you remember just three things from this video, remember these: PFAS are found in many everyday products, they persist in the environment for an extremely long time, and they can eventually end up in your drinking water. That’s why understanding PFAS is so important and why we’re creating this educational series.

We hope you’ll continue watching as we answer more common questions about PFAS, explain how they affect drinking water, and discuss the treatment options available to help protect your family’s water quality.

What You’ll Learn in This Video

  • What PFAS (“forever chemicals”) are and why they’re used in everyday products.
  • How PFAS get from consumer products into your drinking water.
  • Why PFAS are called “forever chemicals” and why they persist in the environment.
  • The potential health concerns associated with long-term PFAS exposure.
  • Why PFAS have become a major focus of EPA regulations in recent years.
  • The three key facts every homeowner should know about PFAS and drinking water.

How Many PFAS Exist & Who Regulates Them? Episode 2

Hi, I’m Dr. Frank from East Coast Water Quality. One of the questions we hear most often is, “How many PFAS chemicals are there, and how are they regulated?” The answer is more complicated than most people realize.

Scientists estimate there are at least tens of thousands of PFAS compounds, although the exact number isn’t known. Despite that, only a very small number are currently regulated in drinking water. The EPA currently regulates several individual PFAS compounds along with a category that groups certain PFAS chemicals together. That means the vast majority of PFAS chemicals that exist today are not specifically regulated.

Because these regulations are relatively new, many public water systems are still implementing testing requirements. If you rely on a private well, the situation is even different, since private well owners are generally responsible for testing their own water. In many cases, routine PFAS testing is not required.

As a result, many homeowners simply don’t know whether PFAS are present in their drinking water. Even public water providers may only be testing for a small group of PFAS compounds, leaving thousands of other PFAS chemicals outside the scope of current monitoring programs.

Another important point is that PFAS regulations are still evolving. Government agencies, researchers, and water utilities are continuing to develop better testing methods, improve treatment technologies, and determine the best ways to regulate these contaminants. While significant progress has been made, implementing new regulations across thousands of water systems takes time.

As of 2026, many drinking water providers and private well owners have not yet implemented treatment technologies specifically designed to remove PFAS. During this transition period, homeowners should take an active role in understanding their own drinking water by reviewing available water quality reports and considering water testing if PFAS contamination may be a concern.

In our next video, we’ll explain how PFAS chemicals actually get into your drinking water and why they’re now being detected in water supplies across the country. Thanks for watching.

What You’ll Learn in This Video

  • Approximately how many PFAS chemicals exist and how many are currently regulated.
  • Which PFAS compounds the EPA currently regulates in drinking water.
  • Why most PFAS chemicals are still not routinely monitored or regulated.
  • The differences between PFAS testing for public water systems and private wells.
  • Why PFAS regulations are still evolving and what that means for homeowners.
  • Why testing your drinking water is one of the best ways to understand your potential PFAS exposure.

How PFAS Get Into Your Water
Episode 3

Hey, it’s Dr. Frank from East Coast Water Quality.

One of the questions we get all the time is, how do PFAS chemicals get into your drinking water system? The answer depends on what type of water system you have. Do you have a private well, or do you get your water from a public source like your county or city water system?

Let’s start with how these water systems work. If you have a private well, a well casing is drilled into the ground on your property, and groundwater is pumped directly to your home. Some neighboring properties may also share a well. Most public water systems, on the other hand, get their water from rivers, lakes, or other surface water sources. Some use large commercial wells, but throughout most of our region, public water primarily comes from surface water.

So, how do PFAS compounds get into these rivers, lakes, and groundwater wells?

One of the most common sources is industrial facilities that either manufacture PFAS chemicals or use them during their manufacturing processes. Examples include chrome plating facilities, electronics manufacturers that produce items like cell phones and televisions, and textile manufacturers that use PFAS because of their unique properties.

Over the last 80 years, regulations governing how these materials are handled have changed considerably. Unfortunately, not every company has been a good steward of the environment. Releases can occur through spills, leaks, or other industrial processes. Once PFAS enters the soil, it can eventually reach groundwater and move beneath the surface, affecting nearby properties and private wells.

Another pathway is air deposition. In one well-known case involving a manufacturing facility in North Carolina, PFAS compounds were released through the facility’s exhaust stacks and deposited over miles of surrounding land. From there, the chemicals filtered through the soil into groundwater. Rainfall can also wash PFAS into nearby rivers and lakes, where public water systems draw their source water.

Another major source of PFAS contamination is the historical use of aqueous film-forming foam (AFFF), a firefighting foam commonly used at airports, industrial facilities, and large fire scenes. Although its use has largely been phased out, AFFF contained PFAS compounds that often entered storm drains after firefighting activities. Those storm drains frequently discharge into rivers and lakes, continuing the contamination cycle.

More recently, researchers have also identified biosolids as another source of PFAS contamination. During the wastewater treatment process, solids settle out into large sludge basins. These biosolids are often recycled and applied to farmland as fertilizer throughout states like Virginia and North Carolina. While they provide valuable nutrients, they can also contain concentrated PFAS compounds. Once applied to fields, rainfall can carry those chemicals into nearby streams and rivers or allow them to seep through the soil into groundwater and private wells.

Hopefully this video was educational and helped you better understand where PFAS compounds come from and how they get into your drinking water. Please join us for our next educational video. We appreciate your time and hope you find these videos helpful. Thank you.

What You’ll Learn in This Video

  • The most common ways PFAS chemicals enter drinking water supplies.
  • The differences between PFAS contamination in private wells and public water systems.
  • How industrial facilities can release PFAS into the environment.
  • How firefighting foam has contributed to PFAS contamination.
  • Why biosolids used as fertilizer can become a source of PFAS pollution.
  • How PFAS move through soil, groundwater, rivers, and lakes before reaching your tap.

Can I Taste, Smell & See PFAS In Drinking Water? Episode 4

Hey, it’s Dr. Frank with East Coast Water Quality.

One of the questions we get a lot is, can you taste, smell, or see PFAS in your drinking water?

Several years ago, while I was at the University of North Carolina, we conducted a research study to better understand why so many homeowners weren’t testing their private well water in and around the Raleigh area. One of the things we found was that many people believe they can tell when their water quality isn’t good simply by tasting it, smelling it, or looking at it.

The reality is that many contaminants that can affect your health can’t be detected by your senses. You can’t see them, taste them, or smell them. PFAS compounds are one of those contaminants. Other examples include bacteria, which are far too small to see, as well as contaminants like lead and arsenic.

There are, however, some contaminants that you can detect. For example, if your water has a rust-colored appearance, it could indicate the presence of iron. If your water smells like rotten eggs, it could be a sign of sulfur in your drinking water.

Unfortunately, PFAS can’t be detected by sight, smell, or taste. The only way to determine whether PFAS are present in your drinking water is to collect a sample and have it tested. Testing can also help verify that your drinking water treatment system is effectively removing those contaminants.

Hopefully that was educational, and we hope you enjoyed this video. We have more videos to come, so please keep visiting our website. Have a great day.

What You’ll Learn in This Video

  • Whether you can taste, smell, or see PFAS in your drinking water.
  • Why many harmful contaminants can’t be detected by your senses.
  • Examples of contaminants you can detect, such as iron and sulfur.
  • Examples of contaminants you can’t detect, including PFAS, lead, arsenic, and bacteria.
  • Why water testing is the only way to know if PFAS are present.
  • How testing can also verify that your water treatment system is working properly.

What’s PPT Mean When Measuring PFAS?
Episode 5

Hey, it’s Dr. Frank with East Coast Water Quality.

The topic of today is, what does parts per trillion mean? Maybe you’ve recently heard the term in the news, or perhaps you received your drinking water test results and saw that you have a certain amount of PFAS measured in parts per trillion. For example, your results might show 27 parts per trillion of PFAS in your drinking water. So, what does that actually mean?

To give you an idea of just how incredibly small a part per trillion is, imagine one second out of 32,000 years, or one inch in 16 million miles. Another way to think about it is roughly 30 trips around the Moon. That’s how incredibly small a part per trillion really is.

Even at these extremely small concentrations, PFAS can affect your health. That’s why the EPA currently regulates five PFAS compounds, and why the maximum contaminant levels are set at such incredibly low concentrations.

The EPA’s drinking water standards for PFAS are measured in very small amounts, ranging from less than one part per trillion to under 10 parts per trillion, depending on the specific compound.

Hopefully this helps you better understand your drinking water test results. If you have any additional questions, please visit our website, watch our other educational videos, and let us know if there are any topics you’d like us to cover in the future.

What You’ll Learn in This Video

  • What “parts per trillion” (PPT) means in drinking water testing.
  • How incredibly small a concentration one part per trillion actually is.
  • Why even tiny amounts of PFAS can be important to your health.
  • Why the EPA regulates PFAS at extremely low concentrations.
  • How to better understand your PFAS water test results.
  • Where to find additional PFAS information and educational resources.

Does Boiling Water Remove PFAS?
Episode 6

Hey, it’s Dr. Frank here with East Coast Water Quality.

The topic of today is, can you boil your water and remove PFAS?

The short answer is no, you can’t.

Unfortunately, you can’t boil your water hot enough to break down PFAS compounds. In fact, if you boil your drinking water before consuming it, you actually increase the concentration of PFAS. As the water evaporates and turns to steam, the PFAS remains behind in the water. That means you have less water, but the same amount of PFAS, resulting in a higher concentration.

Boiling water to remove PFAS is actually a bad idea. It also doesn’t remove contaminants such as lead, arsenic, or many other chemical compounds.

Boiling can be helpful if you’re trying to kill bacteria in your drinking water, but unfortunately, PFAS remain in the water and become more concentrated as the water boils away.

So, boiling your water is not a solution for removing PFAS contamination from your drinking water.

I hope this short video was educational. Please visit our website for more information. Thank you.

What You’ll Learn in This Video

  • Whether boiling water removes PFAS from drinking water.
  • Why boiling water can actually increase PFAS concentrations.
  • Why PFAS remain in water even after boiling.
  • Which contaminants boiling can help remove, such as bacteria.
  • Why boiling is not an effective solution for PFAS, lead, or arsenic.
  • Where to find more information about PFAS and drinking water treatment.

How To Remove PFAS From Water
Episode 7

Chris: This is Chris. I’m here with Dr. Frank Stillo. I hope you guys have been enjoying the series here about PFAS. We’ve really started the educational part that Frank has been giving us. I think we’re diving into what a lot of you folks have been wanting to learn, and that’s how to get PFAS out of your water.

We’re just going to touch on a few of those things. This is more of an interview setting because there are a few topics we’d like to hear Frank talk about. He may not go into the craziest detail on some of these, but we can always do follow-up videos. As always, you can reach out to us anytime if you’d like a direct phone consultation or more information.

The theme of this one is simple: What actually removes PFAS? The major technologies people have been researching are ion exchange, activated carbon, and reverse osmosis. Frank, why don’t you start us off?

Dr. Frank: Yeah, Chris, you nailed it. There are really three technologies out there that remove PFAS: activated carbon, reverse osmosis, and ion exchange, which is probably the least common.

Let’s start with ion exchange because it’s the least common. It’s probably the hardest one to get and has the highest upfront cost. Basically, it’s a tank or enclosure filled with what they call ion exchange media. The media looks like little beads. As the water flows through, the PFAS compounds attach to the media through an electrical charge.

Once the media fills up, it stops capturing PFAS, so it has to be replaced. That means shutting down the system and replacing either the media or the entire tank. There’s a maintenance cost associated with that.

You also have to understand your drinking water system. You need to know how many gallons of water you use each day, and you need to know the concentration of PFAS coming into the system because the media has a limited capacity.

Chris: Which requires constant testing, I would think.

Dr. Frank: Constant testing. I wouldn’t make a blanket recommendation on how often because there are a lot of variables. It depends on how you use your system, how it’s sized, how the water flows through it, and the PFAS concentration coming into the system. We have another video that discusses testing, where to test, how often to test, and other considerations.

Chris: That’s a good overview of ion exchange. Let’s move on to activated carbon.

Dr. Frank: Activated carbon works in a similar fashion. You have activated carbon inside a housing. Similar products include refrigerator filters, pitcher filters, and some whole-house filters.

The contaminated water enters the system, and the activated carbon grabs the PFAS compounds and holds onto them. Like ion exchange, activated carbon has a limited life. How often it needs to be replaced depends on the PFAS concentration in the water and how many gallons of water pass through the filter.

Once the carbon reaches its capacity, it no longer captures PFAS. Instead, it can actually begin releasing the PFAS it has already collected.

Chris: So instead of just stopping, it can actually dose you with higher concentrations?

Dr. Frank: That’s right. You can get higher concentrations in short bursts when the filter begins releasing what it has captured. That’s why it’s very important to maintain these systems and test them so you know they’re still working and when they need to be replaced.

Chris: Before we get into certifications, I want to touch on the equipment side. A lot of carbon filters use loose carbon inside tanks without a backwashing valve. Those systems can develop channeling very quickly, sometimes within the first week or two, and then the water only flows through a small portion of the media.

We also get asked about refrigerator filters and pitcher filters. Do they actually remove PFAS, or do they simply reduce it?

Dr. Frank: Generally speaking, if they’re brand new and maintained exactly as the manufacturer recommends, they’ll reduce PFAS to some degree. Some manufacturers claim around 70%, but it varies from product to product and depends on the incoming PFAS concentration.

Even if a filter reduces PFAS by 70%, that still means about 30% is getting through. Is that really the level of drinking water you want?

Chris: To be clear, I haven’t seen any pitcher or refrigerator filter manufacturers claiming they completely remove PFAS. If you read carefully, most say they reduce it.

Dr. Frank: That’s correct.

Chris: Another question we get is once PFAS has been flowing through your plumbing for months, does it remain in the fittings or pipes?

Dr. Frank: That’s a complicated question. There are certain types of tubing, such as Teflon tubing, that actually contain PFAS coatings. I don’t want to say PFAS sticks to every fitting because that’s more complicated than that.

What I will say is that the National Sanitation Foundation (NSF) certifies many water treatment products. Some refrigerator filters may have NSF certifications. Certain certifications require activated carbon to reduce PFAS below specified levels. Manufacturers also have to repeatedly demonstrate that performance over time, and their manufacturing facilities are inspected to ensure consistent quality.

Chris: We almost opened another whole discussion about what is actually considered “safe.” That’s probably another video altogether. Let’s move on to reverse osmosis.

Dr. Frank: Personally, I have a reverse osmosis system under my own kitchen sink. It’s the one I like best. It’s easy to maintain. It has prefilters and a reverse osmosis membrane.

The membrane allows water to pass through while preventing larger PFAS compounds from crossing. It also removes many other contaminants, including total dissolved solids, lead, and many others.

The filters should be replaced every year, and the membrane every couple of years. Reverse osmosis systems are also compact enough to fit under a kitchen sink and include a storage tank that provides purified water on demand.

Chris: From the application side, that’s why so many of our customers install one of our Protector Series whole-home systems along with a reverse osmosis system for drinking water. The annual filter replacement on the reverse osmosis system gives customers peace of mind because it removes PFAS along with a long list of other contaminants.

We also developed a whole-home PFAS and Lead Series that is certified for 100,000 gallons. We wanted homeowners to be able to go about one year between filter changes.

One thing to remember is that these whole-home PFAS filters shouldn’t be installed on untreated well water with iron because the iron will quickly clog the filter. On city water, they generally last the full year.

Some homeowners ask about whole-home reverse osmosis. That’s certainly an option, but it requires a large holding tank, additional space, a repressurization pump, and a neutralizer because reverse osmosis lowers the pH of the water. It’s a great system, but it’s also the most expensive option.

Dr. Frank: One thing I would add is that if you maintain your reverse osmosis system once a year, you’re generally in good shape. Unlike activated carbon or ion exchange, reverse osmosis doesn’t store PFAS inside the filter media. It flushes those contaminants to the drain, so you don’t get the concentrated breakthrough that can happen when other media become saturated.

That’s one of the reasons I believe reverse osmosis works the best.

Chris: One last question. If someone already has a water softener and later wants to add a PFAS filter, wouldn’t you agree that the PFAS filter should generally be installed after the softener unless they’re both being installed at the same time?

Dr. Frank: Yes. Especially if they’re keeping the existing system. That’s where taking a complete look at the home’s water treatment system becomes important. You want the safest, most conservative approach, and in many cases that means installing the PFAS filter after any potential source of contamination.

Chris: We also want everyone to feel comfortable calling us for a consultation. We know you can’t eliminate 100% of PFAS exposure. All of us already have some PFAS in our bloodstream. The goal isn’t perfection—it’s reducing your exposure as much as practical. We’ll help you find the treatment option that makes the most sense for your home and your budget.

Thanks, as always, Frank. We’ll see you guys soon. Bye.

What You’ll Learn in This Video

  • The three primary technologies used to reduce PFAS in drinking water.
  • How activated carbon, ion exchange, and reverse osmosis each work.
  • The maintenance requirements and limitations of each treatment method.
  • Why filter certification and timely replacement are so important.
  • Why reverse osmosis is considered one of the most effective options for drinking water.
  • Important considerations for whole-home PFAS treatment systems and existing water treatment equipment.

Why Get A RO When Municipal Water Already Uses One? Episode 8

Chris: Thanks for coming back and checking us out again. I’m Chris, and I’m here with Dr. Frank Stillo again. This topic is one that we get a lot in our Carolina territories, especially working our way down toward the South Carolina line. As many of you know, we’re the exclusive water treatment dealer for about 25 Lowe’s stores along the North Carolina coast and into the central part of the state. Because of that, we get a lot of customer questions.

One of the biggest questions we’ve been getting over the last year and a half to two years is, what about the city putting in a reverse osmosis unit for the entire county?

One thing I wanted to get your thoughts on is the existing pipes. What should homeowners know about the plumbing that’s already in place?

Dr. Frank: First, I think it’s awesome that counties are investing in public water quality. I think that’s fantastic, and they’re using a great technology. Reverse osmosis is a great technology, and it will remove PFAS from drinking water.

I will say it’s a huge investment. These are massive systems and massively expensive. Depending on the size of the system, they can cost hundreds of millions of dollars.

You asked about the existing pipes. There is existing research that suggests PFAS can remain in the joints and scale inside existing water lines throughout the distribution system, underneath roads and sidewalks, all the way into your home. That includes the plumbing inside your home, which is the homeowner’s responsibility.

PFAS may still be present in some concentration. The jury is still out on what those concentrations are and whether they leach back into the water. There is some evidence that when water sits stagnant in your pipes, such as overnight or while you’re away on vacation, higher levels of PFAS may leach back into the water. That’s why some recommendations include flushing your water by running the tap for a period of time.

Again, the jury is still out on what the safe level is and exactly how this process works.

Chris: That brings up another question. Municipalities sometimes add corrosion-control chemicals to help water move through the system. Also, when you think about older water mains that have years of scale built up inside them, once you begin running cleaner reverse osmosis water through those pipes, could that cleaner water begin pulling scale off the inside of the pipes? Since PFAS has been around for decades, are we introducing more PFAS as those layers break loose?

Dr. Frank: One of the best-known examples happened about 10 to 15 years ago in Flint, Michigan. The city changed its water source, which changed the chemistry of the water. Because of that, the treatment process also had to change.

Part of water treatment involves adding chemicals that help prevent scale from leaching out of the pipes. In Flint, that process wasn’t handled correctly. As a result, scale containing very high levels of lead began breaking loose from the lead service lines and entered the drinking water system.

The same question could be asked about PFAS. I don’t think the EPA or anyone else really knows the answer yet because the research hasn’t been done. At the time of the Flint situation, lead was easy to test for, but we didn’t yet have sophisticated PFAS testing down to parts per trillion.

Even today, the EPA continues to revise its PFAS regulations. They originally regulated five individual PFAS compounds along with a category for total PFAS. As of today, the current proposal reduces that to regulating only two compounds. It’s a constantly changing landscape.

As a reminder, many water treatment operators are not currently required to test for PFAS, nor are they required to install treatment systems to remove it. They need time to implement reverse osmosis or other treatment technologies. For the time being, we simply don’t know exactly what PFAS levels people are receiving from many water systems.

Chris: We always want to make it clear that we think cities are doing an amazing job. We tell our sales team all the time that any effort is better than no effort. Any additional filtration is a positive thing.

The way I explain it is this: when you look at the water in a reservoir and compare it to what comes out of your faucet, it’s amazing what municipalities accomplish. At the same time, more homeowners are realizing that clean drinking water isn’t a luxury—it’s a necessity.

Even if every water main were brand new and every city installed a perfect reverse osmosis system, that would be incredible. But we know that’s not the reality.

Every year in the United States there are over 240,000 water main breaks, more than 600 water main breaks every day, tens of thousands of sewer overflows, over 850 billion gallons of sewage overflows, more than 50,000 drinking water rule violations, thousands of health-based violations, over 7,000 boil water advisories, and between 400,000 and 500,000 septic system failures. These numbers illustrate just how challenging it is for municipalities to maintain aging infrastructure.

Dr. Frank: Lake Crabtree, just outside Raleigh, recently experienced a raw sewage release into the lake. Utilities are doing an excellent job, but they’re dealing with aging infrastructure, weather events, and accidents. It’s a very challenging job.

Chris: Even if a city installs reverse osmosis, they’ll still have to disinfect the water before it reaches your home. Many of our customers tell us they’ve noticed improvements related to chlorine and other disinfectants after installing point-of-use treatment. Those are different topics for different videos, but treating the water where you actually use it provides many families with an extra level of peace of mind.

Anything else you’d like to add?

Dr. Frank: Two things.

First, public water systems provide water to the point of entry of your home. From there, the plumbing inside your home carries the water to the point of use, such as your kitchen faucet.

Second, not every town can afford a community-wide reverse osmosis system. In North Carolina, many communities are forming regional authorities so they can work together because they can’t afford these systems individually.

The EPA has given public water systems several years to develop funding and install PFAS treatment technologies, but those deadlines continue to be pushed back.

Chris: And even after those systems are installed, they’ll still require maintenance, testing, and periodic shutdowns for service. More and more families are deciding to take ownership of their own drinking water quality.

Dr. Frank: I would also add that in North Carolina, about 25% of the population relies on private wells. Those homeowners aren’t covered by municipal drinking water regulations. There are no maximum contaminant levels established for private wells, and there is no required PFAS testing for them.

Chris: Well, guys, hopefully this gave you a little more education on the topic. Thanks for watching, and we’ll see you in the next one.

What You’ll Learn in This Video

  • Whether cities can use reverse osmosis to remove PFAS from public drinking water.
  • How existing water pipes may continue to affect water quality after treatment.
  • Why aging infrastructure presents challenges for municipal water systems.
  • Why point-of-use water treatment provides an additional level of protection.
  • Why many communities are still years away from implementing large-scale PFAS treatment.
  • Why private well owners face different challenges than municipal water customers.

How Does Water PFAS Testing Work? Episode 9

Hi, Dr. Frank here with East Coast Water Quality. Today we’re going to talk about how water testing works.

To break it down, water testing has three easy steps. The first step is collecting a sample of your drinking water, either yourself or by having someone collect it for you. The second step is sending that sample to a laboratory for testing. The third step is reviewing your results and comparing them to the appropriate standards.

The sampling approach for PFAS is different from almost every other type of water sampling because PFAS are so pervasive. They’re found in makeup, dental floss, many coatings, and even body lotions.

When you’re collecting a sample for PFAS testing, you have to remove those potential sources of contamination so you don’t get a false positive. That means making sure you don’t have lotions on your skin, you’re not wearing makeup, you’re wearing gloves, and you’re using certified sample bottles that don’t contain PFAS coatings or contamination.

Once you’re ready to collect your sample, the best place to sample is generally at your point of use, such as your kitchen sink or wherever you normally get your drinking water. Sometimes you may also want to sample at your well or at different points in your plumbing system to determine whether your water treatment equipment is working. For example, you may collect samples before and after a filter.

After you’ve collected the sample, you ship it to a state-certified laboratory. You always want to use a state-certified lab because they’re inspected and are a trusted source for drinking water testing.

PFAS testing follows a unique protocol established by the EPA. Every laboratory follows standardized procedures, although the specific method may vary depending on which PFAS compounds are being analyzed.

The laboratory also has to follow strict contamination-prevention procedures. They can’t wear PFAS-containing lotions, they wear gloves, and they make sure they aren’t introducing PFAS into the testing process. After testing, they’ll provide you with a report.

Laboratories generally won’t compare your results to a health standard for you. You’ll need to look up the appropriate standard or ask a local expert to help interpret the results.

When you’re reviewing your results, the EPA currently has maximum contaminant levels, or health-based standards, for two PFAS compounds. Generally speaking, you’ll be comparing your results to very low concentrations. We have other videos that explain parts per trillion and the current drinking water standards in more detail.

Hopefully this was helpful. If you have any new topics you’d like us to cover or you need help reviewing your water test results, just give us a call.

Join us for another episode. We have many more topics available on our website. See you later.

What You’ll Learn in This Video

  • The three basic steps of drinking water testing.
  • Why PFAS sampling requires special collection procedures.
  • Where to collect a water sample for the most accurate results.
  • Why it’s important to use a state-certified laboratory.
  • How PFAS samples are analyzed using EPA testing methods.
  • How to review your test results and compare them to current health standards.

How To Read PFAS Test Results
Episode 10

Hi, Frank with East Coast Water Quality here. We have a lot of these videos, so if this is your first time watching, please check out our website. Many of these videos build on one another.

Without further ado, today’s topic is reading your water test results.

When you have your water sampled or send it to a laboratory for testing, the results will come back in a format that depends on the lab you used. Every laboratory presents its reports a little differently.

Sometimes the reports are quite lengthy. Instead of a simple table showing your results and comparing them to a standard, you’ll receive multiple pages of information. Laboratory reports can be complicated because they include quality control data and the testing methods used for your PFAS samples. As a result, many homeowners ask us, “What does all of this mean? Is our water safe to drink?”

Every lab report contains a few key items you should pay attention to.

First, verify that the proper testing method was used. The report will usually identify the applicable EPA testing method. You don’t necessarily need to understand the specific method number, but you do want to confirm that the report states your water was tested for PFAS.

Next, determine whether PFAS, or whatever compound you’re testing for, was detected. If it was detected, look at the reported concentration and the units used to measure it.

This is especially important for PFAS because the concentrations are extremely small and are typically reported in parts per trillion. We have another video that explains parts per trillion in more detail. If you don’t pay attention to the units, a result can appear much larger or much smaller than it actually is.

Most reports also include a summary of your results, whether each contaminant was detected, and, if multiple samples were collected, the results for each sample along with the specific chemicals that were tested.

The final portion of the laboratory report is usually devoted to quality control. This section generally isn’t something homeowners need to study closely. Its purpose is to document that the laboratory followed the EPA’s required testing procedures. If the results are ever used in legal proceedings or to evaluate someone else’s water supply, that quality control documentation helps demonstrate that the state-certified laboratory performed the testing according to the required standards.

We have many more videos available on our website. If you ever have questions or would like a free consultation to review your water test results, we’re happy to help.

Give us a call or visit our website for more informational videos. Bye.

What You’ll Learn in This Video

  • What information to look for in a water test report.
  • Why laboratory reports can seem complicated.
  • How to determine whether PFAS was detected.
  • Why concentration units, such as parts per trillion, matter.
  • What the quality control section of a lab report means.
  • When to ask an expert for help interpreting your results.
Frank J. Stillo III, PhD

About Frank J. Stillo III, PhD

Dr. Stillo is an Environmental Consultant with more than 20 years of experience in drinking water quality, groundwater contamination, environmental risk assessment, and regulatory compliance. He holds a Ph.D. in Environmental Sciences and Engineering and a Masters in Public Health from the ⁠UNC Gillings School of Global Public Health. Throughout his career, he has worked with municipalities, water utilities, universities, industrial facilities, and private organizations to evaluate contaminants such as PFAS, pesticides, and other environmental pollutants. At East Coast Water Quality, Dr. Stillo provides scientific and technical expertise to help ensure our educational content and water quality guidance are accurate, up to date, and based on sound environmental science.

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