Summary via TLDRThis:

A new federal study estimates that toxic “forever chemicals” can be found in 45 percent of U.S. tap water.

Exposure to PFAS, which stands for per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances, has been linked to health problems including kidney and testicular cancer, thyroid disease and high cholesterol.

The study found that urban areas are more at risk than rural areas, finding the substances in about 70 percent of areas that are either urban or have a known history of PFAS contamination, compared to just 8 percent of rural areas.

It also found that the substances may be more common in the Great Plains, Great Lakes, Eastern Seaboard and Central and Southern California regions.

The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has taken some steps toward curbing two of the most infamous types of PFAS, known as PFOA and PFOS, in drinking water, proposing national drinking water limits in March.