- PFAS were found in 98% of test sites near wastewater and biosolids sources.
- Wastewater treatment plants lack enforceable PFAS limits in most states.
- Downstream PFAS levels often exceeded federal drinking water standards.
- Rural and low-income communities face the highest exposure risks.
Monday, July 14 ,2025 — A new report released on June 26, 2025, by the Waterkeeper Alliance
has revealed extensive contamination of U.S. surface waters by per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS), also known as “forever chemicals.” The findings are based on a multi-state sampling project known as Phase II, which focused on the downstream impact of wastewater treatment plants (WWTPs) and biosolids land application fields. The data show that PFAS are not only widespread but often present at levels that exceed federal health-based guidelines.
PFAS are synthetic chemicals used in countless consumer and industrial products since the 1950s. They are resistant to heat, water, and oil, making them useful in items such as non-stick cookware, water-resistant clothing, and firefighting foam. However, they are also persistent in the environment and have been linked to serious health problems, including cancer, immune system dysfunction, and developmental issues.
Nearly Universal Contamination.
Waterkeeper Alliance reported that PFAS were detected in 98% of the 58 sites sampled in 19 states. The sampling focused on waters upstream and downstream of WWTPs and biosolids land application fields. Notably, more than half of the PFAS compounds detectable by EPA Method 1633 were found at multiple sites. In 95% of the downstream samples from wastewater treatment plants, and 80% of those from biosolids fields, multiple PFAS types were present at elevated levels.
Some of the highest concentrations included:
- 44 parts per trillion (ppt) of PFOA in Michigan’s Rouge River.
- 30 ppt of PFOS in South Carolina’s Pocotaligo River.
- 32.89 ppt of total PFAS in Washington’s Dragoon Creek, a 5,120% increase from upstream.
These levels frequently exceeded health-based guidelines, including recently adopted drinking water limits under the Safe Drinking Water Act and proposed federal surface water criteria.
Disproportionate Impact on Vulnerable Communities.
Communities near WWTPs and biosolid sites—often rural, low-income, or communities of color—were found to face disproportionate risks. The report explains that these areas are more likely to lack access to PFAS testing and treatment, increasing the likelihood of chronic exposure.
Despite the clear risk, most wastewater treatment plants evaluated in the study had no enforceable PFAS discharge limits in their federal or state permits. Only one facility had a specific requirement limiting PFAS discharge. Additionally, biosolids—treated sewage sludge often used as fertilizer—frequently contain PFAS but are largely unregulated when it comes to these substances.
Regulatory Gaps Persist.
Although the Clean Water Act is the primary federal tool for regulating discharges to surface water, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has not yet established national water quality criteria for PFAS or effluent limits for industrial facilities. In April 2024, the EPA set legally enforceable drinking water standards for six PFAS chemicals. A month later, it designated two of the most common—PFOA and PFOS—as hazardous substances under the Superfund law. However, these actions have yet to produce clear limits for biosolids or surface water quality.
In May 2025, the EPA announced plans to delay implementation of some of its new standards and reconsider rules for several PFAS compounds. These regulatory delays come despite mounting evidence that PFAS contamination is widespread and harmful.
Call for Stronger Action.
The report recommends a series of urgent steps: monitoring all waterways, enforcing clear limits on PFAS discharge, requiring treatment upgrades at wastewater facilities, and phasing out the use of PFAS-containing products. The authors also call for prioritizing funding for low-income and overburdened communities to mitigate existing contamination.
This second phase of testing builds on Waterkeeper Alliance’s 2022 report, which found PFAS in 83% of waterways tested nationwide. With this follow-up study, the data now provide a clearer link between specific sources—like biosolids fields and WWTPs—and downstream contamination.
The full report, methodology, and maps of impacted watersheds can be accessed at https://waterkeeper.org/pfas.
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