PFAS in Drinking Water in Northwest Arkansas
PFAS — per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances — are a large family of manufactured chemicals used since the 1940s in non-stick coatings, stain-resistant fabrics, food packaging and firefighting foams. They are sometimes called forever chemicals because the carbon-fluorine bond that makes them useful also makes them extremely resistant to breaking down.
This is a subject where a lot of water companies use fear as a sales tool. We would rather give you the actual state of play.
Common symptoms
People describe this problem to us in these ways. You may recognise several, or only one.
- None. PFAS are colourless, tasteless and odourless
- No home test can detect them
- The only indicators are testing data and local land-use history
Potential causes
Industrial manufacturing and use
Facilities that manufactured or used PFAS-containing materials.
Firefighting foam
Aqueous film-forming foam used at airports, military sites and fire training areas is a well-documented source of groundwater contamination.
Landfills and biosolids application
PFAS in consumer products reaching landfills, and treated sludge applied to agricultural land.
Consumer products in general
Which is why low levels are detected very widely, not only near industrial sites.
This one requires testing to confirm
PFAS analysis requires a specialised laboratory using specific EPA methods. There is no field test, no strip, and no way for anyone to assess PFAS in your kitchen — a claim to the contrary is a reliable sign you are talking to the wrong company.
Two things to establish before spending money on analysis:
If you are on a public water system, the EPA finalised national drinking water standards for several PFAS compounds in April 2024, with monitoring and compliance requirements phasing in for public systems. Your utility's monitoring data and Consumer Confidence Report are the first place to look, and they cost you nothing.
If you are on a private well, no one is monitoring it. Whether analysis is worth the cost depends on your specific circumstances — proximity to known sources, industrial history, airfields or fire-training areas. We would rather help you think that through than sell you a system for a problem you may not have.
Treatment technologies commonly used
Which of these is right depends on what your water actually measures. These are the technologies genuinely used for this problem, not a list of everything we sell.
Reverse Osmosis Systems
RO is among the most effective approaches for a broad range of PFAS compounds. Look for certification under NSF/ANSI 58 specifically listing PFOA and PFOS reduction.
Under-Sink Drinking-Water Systems
Certain activated carbon block filters are certified under NSF/ANSI 53 for PFOA/PFOS reduction. The certification must name those compounds — general carbon filtration makes no PFAS claim.
Drinking-Water Filtration
Comparing the point-of-use options.
Water Testing
Establishing whether there is anything to treat.
How we talk about PFAS claims
We will not tell you that a system removes PFAS. We will tell you what a specific model is certified to do, and show you the listing.
The distinction matters because PFAS is a family of thousands of compounds and certifications generally cover named ones — most commonly PFOA and PFOS. A product certified for PFOA and PFOS reduction has demonstrated that under a defined protocol. It has not demonstrated anything about compounds outside the listing. Any company blurring that line is either careless or hoping you will not check.
Questions we are asked about this
Are PFAS in Northwest Arkansas drinking water?
We are not going to answer that with a claim, because the honest answer depends on your specific water system or well, and the data belongs to your utility and to laboratories rather than to us. If you are on a public system, ask your utility for their PFAS monitoring results. If you are on a well, testing is the only way to know.
Does boiling remove PFAS?
No. Boiling concentrates PFAS as water evaporates, making the problem slightly worse rather than better.
Will my refrigerator filter or pitcher remove PFAS?
Only if that specific product is certified for PFOA/PFOS reduction. Most are not. Check the performance data sheet for the exact model — the manufacturer is required to publish what it is certified to reduce.
Should I install a whole-house PFAS system?
For most households the meaningful exposure route is drinking and cooking water, so certified point-of-use treatment at the kitchen tap is where the money usually does the most good. Whole-house treatment for PFAS is a larger undertaking and is generally considered where testing shows a specific need.
Where can I read something that is not from a water company?
The EPA's drinking water pages, your state health department, and your utility's own reports. We would genuinely rather you formed your view from those sources than from us.
We work across Northwest Arkansas
City water and private wells, in Benton, Washington, Madison and Carroll counties.