Along with the stress of a new school year, some Baltimore area schools also are dealing with elevated levels of PFAS, or “forever chemicals,” found in their water systems.
Water testing detected elevated levels of PFAS in several schools in Baltimore, Howard and Harford counties. In some schools, bottled water will be the new normal while solutions are being worked on.
PFAS, or per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances, are an expansive group containing thousands of man-made chemicals that have been used to create several products, from nonstick pans to waterproof raincoats. Though their resistance to water and heat makes the chemicals useful, it also means that once they get into the environment they don’t readily degrade, which earned them the forever chemical nickname.
Which begs the question, where do the PFAS in these water supplies come from? Most of the region of concern uses treated surface water for drinking (unlike us, whose deep well water is 40,000 years old, and remarkably free of PFAS), and presumably the water supplies in the area around the affected schools is similarly contaminated. We'll probably find that out soon enough, as the PFAS testing mandate from EPA will kick in.
The Wombat has Rule 5 Sunday: Sunday Morning Coffee up and garnering clicks at The Other McCain.
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