Water Testing

Here are some of the most common compounds found in municipal water supplies:

PFOA and PFOS

Without professional testing, it can be difficult to determine whether PFOA and PFOS are present in the water sources that supply your facility. PFOA and PFOS have been detected in water samples from private residential wells, as well as commercial and public water supplies at levels exceeding those considered protective of health or the environment. Exposure to PFOA and PFOS over certain levels may result in adverse health effects, including:

• Developmental effects to fetuses during pregnancy or to breast-fed infants, such as low birth weight, accelerated puberty, skeletal variations
• Cancer (testicular, kidney)
• Liver effects (tissue damage)
• Compromised immune system
• Thyroid effects

Legionella

Legionella is a bacteria found in freshwater environments like lakes and streams, but it can become a health concern when it grows and spreads in building water systems. Exposure to legionella can cause health complications such as Pontiac fever, a flu-like illness.

Lead

Lead in water supplies commonly comes from corroded plumbing pipes. Even low levels of lead can cause adverse health effects. Lead exposure has been linked to:

• Damage to the brain and nervous system
• Slowed growth and development in fetuses and young children
• Hearing problems
• High blood pressure
• Kidney damage
• Reproductive problems in men and women

Arsenic

Arsenic occurs naturally in groundwater and is found in excessive amounts in parts of New England. The World Health Organization estimates that millions of people are at risk of arsenic poisoning each year because their drinking water has excessively high concentration of this substance. Millions more are made ill by sub-clinical doses absorbed from the air, food or tap water.

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