Millions in Pennsylvania May Be Drinking Contaminated Water
Based on facts, either observed and verified firsthand by the reporter, or reported and verified from knowledgeable sources.
Newsweek AI is in beta. Translations may contain inaccuracies—please refer to the original content.
Millions of people in Pennsylvania may be drinking water contaminated with forever chemicals.
This is the conclusion of a study from the Pennsylvania State University, which sampled water from 167 private wells across the state looking for so-called 'forever chemicals.'
These manmade chemicals—properly known as per- and poly-fluoroalkyl substances (PFAS)—get their nickname from how they don't break down easily either in the environment, or in the body, risking a dangerous build up.
The team found that 65 percent of the wells they tested had detectable levels of PFAS—with 18 percent exceeding the maximum contaminant levels for drinking water set by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).
According to the researchers, some 3.5 million people in Pennsylvania rely on private wells to supply drinking water.
A stock image of a man pouring a glass of water.
A stock image of a man pouring a glass of water.The highest concentrations of PFAS were detected in private wells in southeast Pennsylvania; PFAS were not detected in many of the wells sampled in the central or western regions.
Paper author and Penn State civil engineer professor Heather Preisendanz said that her immediate reaction was "a little bit of relief" upon seeing the data.
"We were happy that most of the numbers we saw were within the drinking water standards," Preisendanz said.
"Only 18 percent of the wells had levels that were higher than the federal standards, but they weren't thousands of times higher than the drinking water standards, as we have seen in other places."
Previous studies have found forever chemicals in soil, food, food packaging, household products, and personal care products. While most Americans have a relatively low exposure to PFAS, high enough levels could lead to decreased fertility, high blood pressure, increased risk of cancer, reduced immune system and increased cholesterol levels, according to the EPA.
While the data reveals a possible link between PFAS levels and socio-economic status, the nature of this correlation may not be what one might expect.
The team found that lower income areas—with both higher levels of poverty and exposure to industrial sites—did not show higher PFAS contamination levels, but wealthier areas did.
The study was conceived to monitor whether the use of sewage sludge, or "biosolids," as fertilizers and soil additives might be increasing PFAS contamination in drinking water.
However, the team did not find higher PFAS levels in wells near agricultural areas that made use of such treated wastewater.
Conversely, developed land with "constructed materials and impervious surfaces" was also more likely to contain PFAS.
Much PFAS contamination can be treated with at-home technologies, Preisendanz noted. Concerned Pennsylvanians, she added, are recommended to test their water supply, however, as the results are not certain to be representative of all the private wells across the state.
The EPA has established legally enforceable levels (known as "Maximum Contaminant Levels") for six PFAS found in drinking water. Public water systems have five years to implement solutions to reduce the PFAS, and by 2029, they will be required to notify the public of any violations.
Newsweek has contacted Preisendanz for comment via email.
Do you have a tip on a science story that Newsweek should be covering? Do you have a question about PFAS? Let us know via science@newsweek.com.
Reference
Kosiarski, K., Veith, T. L., Kibuye, F. A., Fetter, J., Boser, S., Vanden Heuvel, J. P., Thompson, C. L., & Preisendanz, H. E. (2025). Geospatial and socioeconomic factors of PFAS contamination in private drinking water wells: Insights for monitoring and management. Journal of Environmental Management, 388. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jenvman.2025.125863
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