As the Environmental Protection Agency prepares to regulate a group of chemicals called PFAS in drinking water throughout the country, a preliminary test in 2021 showed that the water on the eastern side of Prince William County, which comes from the Occoquan Reservoir, was over the newly proposed limit.
PFAS is an abbreviation for perfluoroalkyl and polyfluoroalkyl substances. These are chemicals that come from many products that people use every day, including nonstick pans, water-resistant clothing, fire-resistant foam and food packaging. Though their use in manufacturing has been phased out in the United States, they remain in the environment for a long time, and products containing them are still used.
Detection methods for PFAS in water have been developed and refined only in recent years and can now detect parts per trillion. According to Stanley Grant, the director of the Occoquan Watershed Monitoring Laboratory, the limit for PFAS in water is very close to the amount that testing can actually detect—meaning that any PFAS detected in water is a problem.
During a 2021 sampling of water from the 17 largest systems in the state, water from the Occoquan Reservoir, the source of drinking water for about 850,000 residents in eastern Prince William and Fairfax counties, showed higher levels of PFAS than water coming from Lake Manassas, which serves the western side of the county, according to the Prince William County Service Authority.
Water sourced from Lake Manassas was shown to be below the reporting limit for all PFAS substances, which either means no PFAS were detected or the amount was not high enough to present a risk.
According to Grant, the Occoquan Reservoir has higher levels of PFAS because the water flows slower and closer to urbanized areas, allowing more PFAS from homes and businesses to collect in the water.
“Occoquan is an impoundment, so it slows the water down,” Grant said. “I would also say the degree of urbanization plays a role.”
PFAS are a type of “forever chemical” that can now be found “ubiquitously in the environment,” according to Greg Prelewicz, the planning manager at Fairfax Water.
They are in many places in the environment, including in food, and are even found in human blood. They are associated with an increased risk of cancer, thyroid issues and issues in pregnancy, according to the EPA, along with a decreased response to vaccinations.
Because PFAS are a relatively new concern, there are not many reliable methods to treat water to remove them since normal drinking water filters do not remove PFAS.
Some methods for treating water are currently being developed, as well as new methods to test for PFAS. The EPA lists some methods to treat water for PFAS, including several types of filters and chemical additives, but these are currently being studied.
“We’re just starting to learn how harmful they are,” said Elizabeth Ward, vice chair of Prince William County’s Sustainability Commission.
The county’s water sources were first tested for PFAS in 2013, but they were not detected until recently. This is not because there are necessarily more PFAS now, but rather because the technology to detect them has gotten better, Grant said
Prelewicz and Grant both say that they plan to do additional and more in-depth testing for PFAS in the future as more technology becomes available.
Fairfax Water, which cleans and treats the water from the Occoquan Reservoir before it reaches area homes, is supporting efforts to keep PFAS from entering the waterways in the first place and is voluntarily testing for the substance, according to Susan Miller, a Fairfax Water spokeswoman.
Fairfax Water is also in the process of evaluating treatment methods to remove PFAS from water, according to Miller, but it is unknown which methods will eventually be used.
Reach Anya Sczerzenie at asczerzenie@fauquier.com
(2) comments
In the face of mounting evidence on the fragility of our water quality, in the refusal to wait for the completion of the Water study and the Sustainability Commission’s report, PW BOCS marches determinedly on to endanger the Occoquan and the environment through the elimination of the Rural Crescent and the CPA approval for the PWDG. Willful ignorance or reckless indifference? Maybe both.
Remember how our diligent Board of County Supervisors said there was no time to conduct a study of potential impacts to the Occoquan reservoir before rushing through major development projects like the Prince William Digital Gateway and an update to the county’s Comprehensive Plan?
Remember how those calling for greater prudence to preserve a fragile urban watershed were labeled as alarmists and obstructionists?
There is much that is not yet understood about PFAS, but we do know that large volumes of disturbed land from development projects lead to increased stormwater runoff that moves more pollutants into our drinking water sources. Preserving a rural buffer around water sources is essential to preserving water quality.
Chair Ann Wheeler was quoted in an August 3 Potomac Local News article as follows: “You’re asking us to put off decisions on the comprehensive plan, to put off land use. It’s almost like willful ignorance. We’re changing the comprehensive plan.” Was she referring to herself with the “willful ignorance” remark?
Supervisor Kenny Boddye was quoted in an August 11 Prince William Times article as follows: “In an ideal world, I would like to see the results of the watershed study first,” before the vote on the PW Digital Gateway. “But I don’t know how the timing of all of that would work out.” Supervisor Boddye could have easily voted for his “ideal world” solution, but chose to fall in line with his developer-beholden mentor. He should explain to his constituents why placating wealthy data center companies like QTS and Compass was more important than protecting their drinking water.
Your elected leaders had no time to wait for an informed decision with all that developer campaign cash burning a hole in their pockets. Your concerns are clearly secondary to theirs.
Welcome to the discussion.
Log In
Keep it Clean. Please avoid obscene, vulgar, lewd, racist or sexually-oriented language.
PLEASE TURN OFF YOUR CAPS LOCK.
Don't Threaten. Threats of harming another person will not be tolerated.
Be Truthful. Don't knowingly lie about anyone or anything.
Be Nice. No racism, sexism or any sort of -ism that is degrading to another person.
Be Proactive. Use the 'Report' link on each comment to let us know of abusive posts.
Share with Us. We'd love to hear eyewitness accounts, the history behind an article.