Per-and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS)

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Background Overview

PFAS substances, often called “Forever Chemicals” are a category of manufactured chemicals used in a variety of products from pizza boxes to Teflon. On April 10, 2024, the EPA announced the final National Primary Drinking Water Regulation (NPDWR) for six PFAS which includes legally enforceable levels, called Maximum Contaminant Levels (MCLs). This announcement was ultimately changed on May 14, 2025 to only include two of the original six PFAS chemicals: PFOA and PFOS. The City of Avondale will continue to monitor, and treat when required its water sources regularly to ensure customers continue to receive safe drinking water. In addition, the City is currently coordinating with the Arizona Department of Environmental Quality (ADEQ) on PFAS related issues. An FAQ on PFAS is provided below to help answer additional questions. For more information about PFAS , the new rules and their health effects, please see the EPA’s website at www.epa.gov/pfas.

PFAS_Circle diagram of items that have forever chemical

Figure 1. A diagram of the Products that contain PFAS.

What are PFAS? Where did they come from?

PFAS is an acronym for per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances. This group of substances is comprised of individual chemicals that share the characteristics of being laboratory created and contain strings of carbon and fluoride atoms. There are thousands of variations of these compounds but the two most common are PFOA and PFOS.

PFAS chemicals have been around for more than 80 years but became well known in the 1960s when DuPont utilized the chemicals to make the widely popular product known as Teflon. Over the years, PFAS chemicals were added to many industrial and commercial applications including fire-fighting foams, waterproofing needs, cosmetics, food packaging, medical equipment and more.

Why are PFAS called “forever chemicals”?

Are these PFAS chemicals dangerous/harmful?

Current scientific studies have shown that chronic exposure to elevated levels of PFAS may lead to:

Increased risk of some cancers (carcinogenic)
Reproductive effects such as decreased fertility
Developmental effects or delays in children
Reduced ability of the body's immune system to fight infections
Increased cholesterol levels and/or risk of obesity
Interference with the body's natural hormones

Is there PFAS in Avondale’s Water?

What is a parts-per-trillion?

How did PFAS substances get into the city’s water?

It is unknown how PFAS got into the groundwater aquifer. It takes years or decades for water to enter the aquifer from percolation through the natural water cycle. Somewhere in the history of the west valley PFAS was introduced to the environment and it has now made its way into the groundwater. Avondale continues to investigate possible sources of contamination by working with regulatory partners, but the exact cause may never be known.

When did you find out PFAS was in the city’s water?

The city first sampled for PFAS compounds in 2013 and no PFAS chemicals were found in the water at that time.

As the years progressed, the EPA issued a Health Advisory Limit (HAL) a non-enforceable guideline of 70ppt for PFAS contamination in drinking water. This prompted the city to resample for PFAS in 2021 to confirm if there were any changes. At this time, it was determined that there were some PFAS compounds in the groundwater, but all levels were well below the published HAL of 70ppt.

What is the city doing about PFAS in the water system?

On April 10, 2024 the EPA declared that the maximum contamination level (MCL) of PFOA and PFOS in drinking water was to be 4ppt. This was a significant reduction from the former 70ppt advisory level and the city immediately began taking steps to ensure that our water will meet these requirements by the compliance deadline.

The city has now completed initial studies and alternative analysis to treat the city’s water for PFAS contamination. These results are showing that the city needs to install approximately $125 million dollars of new infrastructure in the next couple of years. The current timeline for compliance is the first quarter of 2031 in accordance with the EPA regulatory requirements.

Can I find specifics about the current contamination levels?

Is there a way to reduce my PFAS consumption in the meantime?

Will drinking bottled water help?

It depends. Most bottled water companies rely on tap water as their water sources, which may have PFAS contamination as high or higher than the City of Avondale. If the bottled water is treated with a reverse osmosis filter or granular activated carbon filter before bottling it may have PFAS contamination removed. With hundreds of bottled water companies, it is advised to check with the bottling company for more information.

Do water dispensing stations have PFAS?

Yes, the source of the water for a water windmill or 5-gallon water bottle fill station is simply city water. PFAS levels in that water will be the same as tap water from the same city that the fill station is located within.

Can I boil PFAS out of my water?

No, boiling your water will not remove PFAS.

Is there any way I can treat tap water at home?

It is possible to install an at-home reverse osmosis water filter or a granular activated carbon filter. These solutions tend to be expensive and need regular maintenance to maintain effectiveness. Please consult with manufacturers for specific details on treatment effectiveness if you are considering this as an option.

What else is in the city’s water?

Is there anything I can do to help?

We appreciate the support, and we believe that active community involvement is one of the things that make this city an amazing place to live, work and play. As we begin implementing PFAS treatment solutions we may have to construct some new pipelines in the roadways and water bills may be affected to cover the cost of the infrastructure. Please remember we are continuously working hard to minimize disruptions and keep costs as low as possible for our residents. We appreciate your patience and support when we do need to cause temporary disruptions.

We recommend reviewing the Water Quality Report published by the city on an annual basis. This will provide a full summary of water quality sampling results. If you don’t have time to review the Water Quality Report, we can summarize by saying there have been no MCL exceedances and Avondale’s tap water meets all the metrics of the Safe Drinking Water Act.