Are you one of 110 million at risk for toxic tap water?

The feds are hard at work doing what it is they do best: writing long-winded reports and patting each other on the back about a job well done.

Only, the problem is still staring us right in the face – or in this case, coming out of the tap.

A just-released government study has revealed that a class of chemicals found in the drinking water of millions turns out to be a health risk at levels far below what the EPA originally said were safe.

In essence, what authorities considered perfectly good tap water in May became a health hazard by June.

And far more Americans — likely millions more – are drinking water contaminated by such chemicals than was previously thought.

Some of the worst offenders appear to be those “non-stick chemicals” known as polyfluoroalkyl substances, or PFAS, which have become a much bigger “sticking point” than our federal watchdogs ever anticipated.

Over the past two decades (when the EPA started regulating them), these toxic byproducts from the manufacturing of non-stick cookware and water-repellent coatings for shoes and clothing have been closely linked to developmental problems, liver and thyroid diseases… even cancer.

It has become quite obvious that you can’t wait another day to make sure that the water coming out of your faucet is safe enough for you and your family to drink.

Every glass you take

As Yogi Berra said, “It’s déjà vu all over again.”

A couple of years ago, eAlert readers learned about a study from the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health that revealed that over 6 million Americans were drinking water contaminated with PFAS chemicals.

Now, a bombshell report released by the Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry (ATSDR) warns that what the EPA had previously established as a “safe” level of PFAS, which is 70 parts per trillion (yes, trillion – that’s how dangerous they are), is actually seven to 10 times too high!

So, does that mean that closer to 30 million people are being exposed to these toxins… maybe even 50 million?

No one really knows the true number, but the Environmental Working Group (EWG) has been focused on this problem for years, and it recently estimated the number to be around 110 million Americans.

That would be approximately one-third of the U.S. population!

How could this have happened?

These chemicals are the toxic legacy of the manufacturing of such modern conveniences as pots and pans that can be cleaned without scouring… that jacket that’s resistant to rain… or carpeting that doesn’t get a permanent stain from a spilled glass of wine.

And it took many decades for things to get this bad. Non-stick cookware, for example, has been available in the U.S. since 1960.

But it’s all coming back to haunt us in a very big way.

You may be wondering what step the feds will take next, now that they know huge numbers of Americans are ingesting a cancer-causing chemical in every glass of water.

Well, right before the EPA’s former head honcho, Scott Pruitt, resigned at the beginning of this month, he said that the agency was going to develop a “four-step plan” to fix things.

What exactly that is… or when it will take effect… or who will even lead the charge… is anyone’s guess.

But instead of waiting for officials to get their act together, you can immediately initiate a plan of your own – and it will only require these three steps!

Step #1: Call your local water authority and ask for a copy its “Consumer Confidence Report,” something it’s required by law to file, which should list all the contaminants that have been found in your drinking water.

Step #2: Check the EWG’s Tap Water Database by going to ewg.org/tapwater and putting in your zip code. That will give you access to state water quality records that might provide additional information.

Step #3: Start filtering your drinking water with a reverse osmosis system, which can be installed at the tap or where the water comes into your home. While you won’t be getting all the PFAS out of your water, it will still help reduce your exposure.

And as eAlert readers know, PFAS aren’t the only toxins that flow from your tap.

Lead, other heavy metals, and Rx drugs are also commonly found in drinking water – which is why taking that crucial third step and installing a good filtration system is one of the most important things you can do to protect your family’s health.

“Threshold for harmful chemicals in drinking water lower than thought: Study” Stephanie Ebbs, Dr. Karine Tawagi, June 21, 2018, ABC News, abcnews.go.com