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Per- and polyfluoroalkyl chemicals in Issaquah’s Water Sample

The Consumer Reports posted a question about what is a drinking water. The  study shows many places in the U.S. had concerning levels of certain chemicals in several cities in Washington. Consumer Reports sampled drinking water from 120 locations across the country for levels of arsenic, lead and Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances chemicals.

While the testing was done, out of all the cities in Washington Issaquah had high levels of Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances compared to the other cities tested. The sample taken in Issaquah showed Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances levels at 59 parts per trillion. Other parts of the state that were sampled were all below 10 parts per trillion.

Derek Pell, Deputy Director, Office for Drinking Water, Washington State Department of Health said that “It’s a family of industrial chemicals used in like nonstick cookware, stain-resistant carpet, and it’s actually used in firefighting foams to fight really severe fuel base fires.According to the CDC, high levels of Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances may cause increased cholesterol levels, increased risk for certain kinds of cancer, and decreased vaccine response in children.These chemicals are in items we use every day, and Pell said most people have some level of measurable these chemicals in their blood.

Derek Pell also added that Everybody consumes water. Indigestion is an avenue of some of these chemicals. It’s one of the first places we can start to make sure that if it’s there, we remove it. The City of Issaquah said that the sample registered higher levels of chemicals than other cities, the city still meets standards for safe drinking water. A spokesperson said the city plans to reach out to Consumer Reports to find out where they took the sample.

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