TRENTON – In 2021, New Jersey set new standards for the testing of private wells in any homes that transfer ownership. Testing well water before completion of a home sale is not new. Testing for the presence of per-and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) is.
The chemicals known as PFAS come in a variety of forms, three of which are now regulated by the state Department of Environmental Protection (DEP). They are, according to the state Department of Health (DOH), “manmade chemicals which repel water and oil and are resistant to heat and chemical reactions.”
Often called “forever chemicals” because they don’t break down in the environment, PFAS have been used in industry since the 1940s. The DOH and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) say that scientific studies show exposure to PFAS increases the risk of several health effects.
In 2018, New Jersey became the first state to establish enforceable drinking water standards for one of the PFAS chemicals; two other forms of PFAS followed, with maximum contamination level standards, in 2020. Water utilities were required to test for PFAS contamination. In 2021, that requirement extended to private wells.
What Are PFAS?
In the mid-1940s, DuPont introduced a revolutionary new product – Teflon. An entire family of chemicals have evolved from that introduction. Non-stick, waterproof and stain repellent, the chemicals have been used in a myriad of products and are collectively known as PFAS. Proximity to certain industrial, military, and civilian airport sites may be linked to groundwater exposure to PFAS.
While airport sites might seem an odd location, the use of PFAS in special firefighting foam for incidents involving jet fuel is the reason. Several states, including New Jersey, now restrict the use of firefighting foam containing PFAS.
Beginning in July 2021, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency began including PFAS-containing chemicals in its annual Toxic Release Inventory.
A closed military site near Trenton is now a federal Superfund site and nearby water supplies have tested above health limit standards at several sites on the area of the former base.
PFAS enter the environment near sites where they are made, used, or disposed of. They can be transported through stormwater runoff or move through the soil into groundwater.
What are the Health Effects?
There are many chemicals in the PFAS grouping. New Jersey regulated three through private well testing. Exposure that is higher than new state standards may affect growth in children, decrease fertility, increase cholesterol levels, decrease the effectiveness of the immune system, and lead to certain cancers.
It is possible to get a blood test for the presence of PFAS. However, the test is not routine and may not be covered by some insurance policies. Before considering one, it is important to note that the DOH says that there are no accepted treatments to reduce levels of PFAS in the blood. Levels will reduce gradually after exposure ends, but it can take years.
Testing in NJ
In January 2022, the state issued a list of 74 water utility systems in which levels of PFAS exceeded health standards. The 74 water utilities covered service areas in 15 of the state’s 21 counties. Cape May County was one of the six counties not listed in the report, along with neighboring Cumberland County.
Many of the utilities have taken steps to filter out PFAS contaminants after the testing for the report was made available.
The problem is not a small one. The state has one of the highest rates of PFAS in drinking water in the nation due largely to its industrial past.
New Jersey is currently requiring the testing of private wells for three forms of PFAS – PNFA, PFOA and PFOS. The state has set drinking water health limits for these forever chemicals.
Any home bought after Dec. 1, 2021, would’ve had a required test for the three kinds of PFAS. Prior to that, the test would not have been routinely done.
Property owners with PFAS contamination may have to install an expensive point of entry water system that filters out the chemicals.
There are no reports of any widespread contamination with PFAS in Cape May County. With the county’s brisk real estate market, more testing will be done.
To contact Vince Conti, email vconti@cmcherald.com.
