Evaluation of Per- and Polyfluoroalkyl Substance (PFAS) Levels in Drinking Water: A Study of Riverside Municipal Wells.

Polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) seem to be in every aspect of our modern-day life. PFAS chemicals manufactured by DuPont and 3M are found in our food wrappers, pots, pans, firefighting foam, and anything nonstick. The abundance of these chemicals raises concerns about the contamination of our drinking water sources. Since these chemicals get washed up by rainwater runoff, they ultimately end up in our groundwater sources. Once in our groundwater, the PFAS-contaminated water gets pumped up by wells utilized for our drinking water. In this project, our team looked at the contamination of these chemicals in our local community. Our team collaborated with local officials to gain access to sample the Garner C well, the Twin Springs well, a local private well in our community, and the Palmyrita treatment plant, where we measured both the influent and effluent water. Our team then conducted tests on each water sample to determine the amount of perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA), perfluorooctane sulfonate (PFOS), perfluorobutanoic acid (PFBA), perfluorohexane sulfonate (PFHxS), perfluorononanoic acid (PFNA), perfluoroheptanoic acid (PFHpA), and perfluorodecanoic acid (PFDA) in each of our samples using Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) 533 rules and procedures. Using the tests from the Palmyrita treatment plant, we determined how effective Riverside's treatment process is for removing PFAs across its water. This paper is intended to inform individuals how to test and sample for PFAS from their local wells and educate readers on PFAS contamination in the Riverside Municipal area. This study aims to quantify PFAS levels in Riverside Wells and evaluate the effectiveness of local water treatment processes, especially activated carbon filtration.