PFAS in Artondale Water System
Is the water here over the federal PFAS limit?
Yes — 3 of them were. The highest, PFOS, came back at 38× the federal MCL.
That doesn't mean the water is unsafe to drink today — these limits are set for a lifetime of exposure, and your utility has until 2029 to comply. But it does mean this is worth acting on, and effective point-of-use treatment is available at a range of prices.
What to do about it
Fit a reverse-osmosis filter on the tap you drink from. A properly maintained reverse-osmosis system can substantially reduce the PFAS detected here, including the short-chain compounds that activated carbon removes less consistently. Look for NSF/ANSI 53 or 58 certification. A standard carbon pitcher should not be relied on for these unless the specific product has independent PFAS test data.
- Reverse osmosis (point-of-use) — Removes ~90–99% of PFAS (long- and short-chain) plus most dissolved metals, nitrate and fluoride — the broadest single fix. peer-reviewed
- Anion-exchange resin filter — Removes both long- AND short-chain PFAS better than carbon; also targets nitrate and chromium-6. peer-reviewed
- Certified granular activated carbon (GAC) filter — Good for long-chain PFAS (PFOA/PFOS) and for disinfection byproducts and VOCs — but short-chain PFAS break through quickly. peer-reviewed
- Brita Elite pitcher filter — Removes ~78% of PFOA/PFOS in independent testing — modest, and ONLY the Elite (not Standard/Stream). industry
- Standard carbon pitcher (Brita Standard/Stream, most “water filter” pitchers) — Does NOT remove PFAS. Built for taste/chlorine, not forever chemicals. industry
- Boiling the water — Does NOT remove PFAS, nitrate, or algal toxins — and CONCENTRATES them as water evaporates. regulatory
Important for this system: short-chain PFAS were detected here. These tend to break through activated carbon sooner than longer-chain compounds, so a carbon pitcher should not be assumed to reduce them reliably without product-specific test data — reverse osmosis or anion exchange is the more dependable option.
We sell nothing and take no affiliate commission — see how the filter types compare.
The full results
Every PFAS the EPA found here, highest first. ng/L is nanograms per litre — roughly one drop in an Olympic pool.
| Compound | Level found | Federal MCL | Status | Our verdict |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| PFOS | 153.6 ng/L | 4 ng/L | 38× the MCL | Real — regulated, and it lingers |
| PFHxS | 55.8 ng/L | 10 ng/L | 5.6× the MCL | Real — regulated as a mixture |
| PFBS | 28.9 ng/L | No federal MCL | no federal limit | — |
| PFPeS | 19.4 ng/L | No federal MCL | no federal limit | — |
| PFHxA | 16.9 ng/L | No federal MCL | no federal limit | Short-chain, ubiquitous, unregulated |
| PFPeA | 13.9 ng/L | No federal MCL | no federal limit | Everywhere in your water — and nobody regulates it |
| PFOA | 6.3 ng/L | 4 ng/L | 1.6× the MCL | Real, newly regulated |
| PFHpA | 5.6 ng/L | No federal MCL | no federal limit | — |
How to read the verdict: we grade every compound on how worried to actually be — Real (act on it), Depends (on your situation), Complicated (a genuine trade-off or still contested), Mild (mostly overblown). A dash means we haven't reviewed it yet — not that it's safe. Every compound links to its full, cited page.
Source: US EPA, Fifth Unregulated Contaminant Monitoring Rule (UCMR 5) occurrence data, 2023–2025. Levels are the highest value reported at this system. Verdicts are Embr's own calibrated judgment — see our methodology. This is not medical advice.
Part of PFAS in US Tap Water — the national picture.
What’s being done about it
Regulatory status as of July 2026Yes — there is a federal response, and it is actively changing. In 2024 the EPA set the first nationwide, enforceable drinking-water limits for PFAS: 4 parts per trillion each for PFOA and PFOS, plus limits for PFHxS, PFNA and GenX (HFPO-DA). Public water systems must monitor for these and, where they are exceeded, reduce them.
The limit exceeded here for PFOA, PFOS is the firm part of the rule: the EPA reaffirmed the PFOA and PFOS limits in July 2026 and separately proposed giving systems until 2031 to come into compliance.
The limit exceeded here for PFHxS is unsettled: as of July 2026 the EPA has proposed to rescind the federal limits for PFHxS, PFNA and GenX and reconsider how they are regulated, with a final rule expected in 2026. Treat this exceedance as a health-relevant signal, not a settled legal violation.
What that means for you: your utility is required to test for these PFAS and report results in its annual Consumer Confidence Report, and the federal picture is moving month to month — which is exactly what we track.
No specific federal enforcement action for this system was found in our sources as of July 2026. That is not evidence none exists — it means none is recorded in the datasets we join.
Federal-rule status is summarized from the EPA Safe Drinking Water Act PFAS pages and is re-verified as the rule changes. This is regulatory context, not legal or medical advice.