ISSAQUAH, Wash. — What is in your drinking water?
That was the question posed by a Consumer Reports study that shows many places in the U.S. had concerning levels of certain chemicals - including several cities right here in Washington
Consumer Reports sampled drinking water from 120 locations across the country for levels of arsenic, lead and Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) chemicals.
Out of the cities tested in Washington, Issaquah had high levels of PFAS compared to the other cities tested. The sample taken in Issaquah showed PFAS levels at 59 parts per trillion. Other parts of the state that were sampled were all below 10 parts per trillion.
“It's a family of industrial chemicals used in like nonstick cookware, stain-resistant carpet, and it's actually used in firefighting foams to fight really severe fuel base fires,” said Derek Pell, Deputy Director, Office for Drinking Water, Washington State Department of Health.
According to the CDC, high levels of PFAS may cause increased cholesterol levels, increased risk for certain kinds of cancer, and decreased vaccine response in children.
PFAS chemicals are in items we use every day, and Pell said most people have some level of measurable PFAS in their blood.
“Everybody drinks water. Everybody does that every day. And because that is an avenue of ingestion of some of these chemicals. It's one of the first places we can start to make sure that if it's there, we remove it,” explained Pell.
The City of Issaquah told KING 5 while the sample registered higher levels of PFAS than other cities, the city still meets standards for safe drinking water. A spokesperson said the city plans to reach out to Consumer Reports to find out where they took the sample.
“Based on the latest science, the Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) recently released drinking water health advisories on two [PFAS chemicals], called PFOA and PFOS. Issaquah water at the tap is below these advisories," a spokesperson said. "Meanwhile, more stringent testing has been conducted to better understand the potential sources of PFAS in Issaquah. We are consistently testing to ensure our water quality.”
Issaquah uses a filtration system to address PFAS chemicals detected in some wells in the city. The last time the city found higher than normal levels of PFAS chemicals in one of the city's wells was in 2016.
The Washington State Department of Health said the most important thing is that individuals know what the source of their water is.
“It's really important to know where your water comes from, and ask questions about what that quality is. All those systems that are public water systems serving 15 or more connections are required to tell their customers what's in their water at least once a year, and certainly when any contaminant is identified,” Pell said.
The City of Issaquah releases a water reporter every year for people who live and work there.
There is no federal regulation over the level of PFAS in drinking water, but some lawmakers are pushing a bill that would require the EPA to set one.