EPA Updated Health Advisory Responses – Sheffield, Florence, Muscle Shoals, Tuscumbia, and Colbert County Water Utilities

THE SHOALS-Attached are individual media releases concerning EPA’s recently issued updated Health Advisory that dramatically lowered the PFOA and PFOS LIFETIME EXPOSURE LEVELS. We all continue to provide clean and safe water for all uses, but are stressing in each of our individual responses attached that all understand the following:

These are advisories that the EPA has recently established.  Our drinking water systems are not, at this time, in violation of any current regulatory limits or the Safe Drinking Water Act.  For more information, please visit EPA’s website at www.epa.gov/pfas ,  Alabama Department of Environmental Management’s (ADEM) website at www.adem.alabama.gov , and each utility’s website. Additional links are also listed in each system’s media release.

City of Florence Water/Wastewater Department Evaluating New PFOA, PFOS Health Advisory Levels

 The Environmental Protection Agency has recently issued an updated health advisory lowering the levels for LIFETIME exposure to PFOS and PFOA in drinking water. The new advisory levels are well below what were previously non-detectable levels. This is an advisory only and is not a regulation or law. Due to the newly announced advisory levels, recent testing of the City of Florence Water/Wastewater Department drinking water shows results that are above the EPA’s new 2022 advisory levels for PFOS and PFOA, but below those added for GenX Chemicals and PFBS.

While customers need to be aware of this change to the health advisory, the City of Florence drinking water has been and continues to be safe to drink and for use in bathing, cooking, cleaning, etc. based on current EPA and ADEM regulatory standards. Both the 2016 and 2022 advisory limits are based on a lifetime of daily consumption.

The EPA issued the updated health advisory levels for PFOA and PFOS on an interim basis until the release of permanent regulatory requirements for these two contaminants.  The health advisories will, in part, inform their decision-making on setting future enforceable limits.

EPA acknowledged that current testing technology cannot detect the presence of PFOA or PFOS at the levels in the new 2022 advisory.  Test data for MSUB’s drinking water is based on current technology capabilities at thirdparty independent laboratories.

*For reference, one part per trillion (ppt) is the equivalent of one square inch in 250 square miles OR one second in nearly 32,000 years OR one ounce in 7.5 billion gallons of water.

The City of Florence Gas & Water/Wastewater Management and staff will be evaluating the new advisory levels, on-going test results, and any steps that will need to be taken to come into compliance once EPA sets Maximum Contaminant Levels for PFOA and PFOS under upcoming National Primary Drinking Water regulations.  At that time, the City of Florence Water/Wastewater Department will explore grants and other funding options to minimize the impact these regulations could have on customer rates.

Colbert County Rural Water Evaluating New PFOA, PFOS Health Advisory Levels

The Environmental Protection Agency has recently issued an updated health advisory lowering the levels for LIFETIME exposure to PFOS and PFOA in drinking water. The new advisory levels are well below what were previously nondetectable levels. This is an advisory only and is not a regulation or law. Due to the newly announced advisory levels, recent testing of Colbert County Rural Water (CCRW) drinking water shows results that are above the EPA’s new 2022 advisory levels for PFOS and PFOA, but below those added for GenX Chemicals and PFBS.

While customers need to be aware of this change to the health advisory, CCRW drinking water has been and continues to be safe to drink and for use in bathing, cooking, cleaning, etc. based on current EPA and ADEM regulatory standards. Both the 2016 and 2022 advisory limits are based on a lifetime of daily consumption.

The EPA issued the updated health advisory levels for PFOA and PFOS on an interim basis until the release of permanent regulatory requirements for these two contaminants.  The health advisories will, in part, inform their decision‐making on setting future enforceable limits. EPA acknowledged that current testing technology cannot detect the presence of PFOA or PFOS at the levels in the new 2022 advisory.

Test data for CCRW’s drinking water is based on current technology capabilities at third‐party independent laboratories.

*For reference, one part per trillion (ppt) is the equivalent of one square inch in 250 square miles OR one second in nearly 32,000 years OR one ounce in 7.5 billion gallons of water.

CCRW’s Management, Staff and Board of Directors will be evaluating the new advisory levels, on‐going test results, and any steps that will need to be taken to come into compliance once EPA sets Maximum Contaminant Levels for PFOA and PFOS under upcoming National Primary Drinking Water regulations.  At that time, CCRW will explore grants and other funding options to minimize the impact these regulations could have on customer rates.

Muscle Shoals Utilities Board Evaluating New PFOA, PFOS Health Advisory Levels

The Environmental Protection Agency has recently issued an updated health advisory lowering the levels for LIFETIME exposure to PFOS and PFOA in drinking water. The new advisory levels are well below what were previously nondetectable levels. This is an advisory only and is not a regulation or law. Due to the newly announced advisory levels recent testing of Muscle Shoals Utilities Board (MSUB) drinking water shows results that are above the EPA’s new 2022 advisory levels for PFOS and PFOA, but below those added for GenX Chemicals and PFBS.

While customers need to be aware of this change to the health advisory, MSUB drinking water has been and continues to be safe to drink and for use in bathing, cooking, cleaning, etc. based on current EPA and ADEM regulatory standards.  Both the 2016 and 2022 advisory limits are based on a lifetime of daily consumption.

The EPA issued the updated health advisory levels for PFOA and PFOS on an interim basis until the release of permanent regulatory requirements for these two contaminants.  The health advisories will, in part, inform their decision-making on setting future enforceable limits.  EPA acknowledged that current testing technology cannot detect the presence of PFOA or PFOS at the levels in the new 2022 advisory.  Test data for MSUB’s drinking water is based on current technology capabilities at third-party independent laboratories.

*For reference, one part per trillion (ppt) is the equivalent of one square inch in 250 square miles OR one second in nearly 32,000 years OR one ounce in 7.5 billion gallons of water.

MSUB’s Management, Staff and Board of Directors will be evaluating the new advisory levels, on-going test results, and any steps that will need to be taken to come into compliance once EPA sets Maximum Contaminant Levels for PFOA and PFOS under upcoming National Primary Drinking Water regulations.  At that time, MSUB will explore grants and other funding options to minimize the impact these regulations could have on customer rates.

Sheffield Utilities Evaluating New PFOA, PFOS Health Advisory Levels

 The Environmental Protection Agency has recently issued an updated health advisory lowering the levels for LIFETIME exposure to PFOS and PFOA in drinking water. The new advisory levels are well below what were previously nondetectable levels. This is an advisory only and is not a regulation or law. Due to the newly announced advisory levels recent testing of Sheffield Utilities drinking water shows results that are above the EPA’s new 2022 advisory levels for PFOS and PFOA, but below those added for GenX Chemicals and PFBS.

While customers need to be aware of this change to the health advisory, Sheffield Utilities drinking water has been and continues to be safe to drink and for use in bathing, cooking, cleaning, etc. based on current EPA and ADEM regulatory standards. Both the 2016 and 2022 advisory limits are based on a lifetime of daily consumption.

The EPA issued the updated health advisory levels for PFOA and PFOS on an interim basis until the release of permanent regulatory requirements for these two contaminants.  The health advisories will, in part, inform their decision-making on setting future enforceable limits.

EPA acknowledged that current testing technology cannot detect the presence of PFOA or PFOS at the levels in the new 2022 advisory.  Test data for Sheffield Utilities drinking water is based on current technology capabilities at third-party independent laboratories.

*For reference, one part per trillion (ppt) is the equivalent of one square inch in 250 square miles OR one second in nearly 32,000 years OR one ounce in 7.5 billion gallons of water.

Sheffield Utilities Management, Staff and Board of Directors will be evaluating the new advisory levels, on-going test results, and any steps that will need to be taken to come into compliance once EPA sets Maximum Contaminant Levels for PFOA and PFOS under upcoming National Primary Drinking Water regulations.  At that time, Sheffield Utilities will explore grants and other funding options to minimize the impact these regulations could have on customer rates.

Tuscumbia Utilities Evaluating New PFOA, PFOS Health Advisory Levels

The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has recently issued an updated health advisory lowering the levels for LIFETIME exposure to PFOS and PFOA in drinking water. The new advisory levels are well below what were previously non-detectable levels. This is an advisory only and is not a regulation or law. Due to the newly announced advisory levels recent testing of Tuscumbia Utilities (TU) drinking water shows results that are above the EPA’s new 2022 advisory levels for PFOS and PFOA, but below those added for GenX Chemicals and PFBS.

While customers need to be aware of this change to the health advisory, TU drinking water has been and continues to be safe to drink and for use in bathing, cooking, cleaning, etc. based on current EPA and ADEM regulatory standards.  Both the 2016 and 2022 advisory limits are based on a lifetime of daily consumption.

The EPA issued the updated health advisory levels for PFOA and PFOS on an interim basis until the release of permanent regulatory requirements for these two contaminants.  The health advisories will, in part, inform their decision-making on setting future enforceable limits. EPA acknowledged that current testing technology cannot detect the presence of PFOA or PFOS at the levels in the new 2022 advisory.

Test data for TU’s drinking water is based on current technology capabilities at third-party independent laboratories.

*For reference, one part per trillion (ppt) is the equivalent of one square inch in 250 square miles OR one second in nearly 32,000 years OR one ounce in 7.5 billion gallons of water.

TU’s Management, Staff and Board of Directors will be evaluating the new advisory levels, on-going test results, and any steps that will need to be taken to come into compliance once EPA sets Maximum Contaminant Levels for PFOA and PFOS under upcoming National Primary Drinking Water regulations.  At that time, TU will explore grants and other funding options to minimize the impact these regulations could have on customer rates.

These new health advisories are affecting not only The Florence Water/Wastewater Department, but Muscle Shoals, Sheffield Utilities, Tuscumbia Utilities, Colbert County Water Department and most every water system in Alabama and the country.  A full listing of systems in Alabama that have detections can be found on ADEM’s website at the following address: ADEM State-Wide PFAS sampling report –  2022AllResultsMRL.pdf (alabama.gov)

Media Release/City of Florence Water/Wastewater Department/Tuscumbia Utilities/Sheffield Utilities/Muscle Shoals Utility Board – Water and Wastewater/Colbert County Rural Water