By Chris Basinger, Staff Reporter
TRUSSVILLE, Ala.–Trussville Gas and Water is reporting that no traces of Per- and Polyfluorinated Substances (PFAS), otherwise known as “forever chemicals,” have been found in Trussville’s drinking water.
The announcement comes as the utility looks to clarify a publicized Alabama Department of Environmental Management (ADEM) report that included data on the presence of PFAS chemicals in Alabama water systems.
According to Mike Strength, the general manager of Trussville Gas and Water, the report incorrectly included data collected from samples of Trussville’s water before it had gone through the treatment plant, which detected traces of PFAS.
“In our case, the sample was taken before it entered the filtration system, so we shouldn’t have ever been on the report,” Strength said.
After a review, ADEM confirmed that the samples taken in Trussville from before the water was filtered should not have been included in the report.
ADEM also stated that the levels of substances reported for other communities listed in the report were correct.
Trussville sources its water from nearby wells, which is then filtered using granular activated carbon.
By the time Trussville’s water is treated and ready to be delivered to customers, Strength says that no traces of PFAS are being found at the current detectable levels.
The current discussion on forever chemicals in public water systems comes following the Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) establishment of new limits on the presence of PFAS in drinking water.
According to the Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry (ATSDR), PFAS are man-made chemicals that do not easily break down in the environment and may be linked to harmful health effects in humans and animals.
These substances have been used to make nonstick cookware, waterproof clothing, stain resistant fabrics, cosmetics, and other products.
On April 10, the EPA announced that it was setting new legally enforceable maximum contaminant levels for six PFAS in drinking water–PFOA, PFOS, PFHxS, PFNA, and HFPO-DA.
Under the new regulations, which will be fully implemented in 2029, the maximum contaminant levels for most of the substances will range from 4 parts per trillion to 10 parts per trillion.
Though the new EPA regulations may mean drastic changes in how water is treated in other communities, Strength believes that the only change that will be made in Trussville is how often the granular activated carbon used in the filtering process will be replaced.
Replacing the carbon is necessary because its ability to absorb harmful chemicals goes down over time.
Currently it is changed every 5-6 years, but he expects that it will go down to every 4-5 years.
“Customers won’t ever see a difference in the bill,” he added, saying that the price of changing it more frequently is not a big enough expense to be noticeable to customers.
For more information, see Trussville Gas and Water’s 2024 Drinking Water Quality Report at the link below: