Summary

A US Geological Survey study estimates PFAS chemicals may contaminate drinking water for up to 70% of the 140 million Americans using aquifers, affecting around 95 million people.

Some groundwater readings were up to 37,000 times the EPA’s new limits. Private wells and small public wells, which serve 13% of the population, lack strict EPA PFAS regulations, making them especially vulnerable.

Contamination is most severe near military bases, airports, and industrial sites, with high exposure in Michigan, Florida, and California.

The USGS also produced an interactive map that shows where there may be trouble.