In Orange County, California, a new water treatment plant is tackling the growing PFAS contamination problem by filtering dangerous chemicals from drinking water.
In short:
- Yorba Linda, California, is home to the largest plant in the U.S. that filters PFAS, harmful chemicals linked to health issues like cancer and high cholesterol.
- The plant treats water for 80,000 people, using resin beads to remove contaminants from wells affected by the Santa Ana River's runoff and sewage plants.
- Anaheim and other nearby cities face similar contamination challenges and are constructing their own filtration systems, costing millions of dollars.
Key quote:
"Kudos to Yorba Linda. We're glad to see somebody else beat it because that means somebody else is addressing the issue."
— Mike Lyster, spokesman for the city of Anaheim
Why this matters:
PFAS chemicals are persistent in the environment and difficult to remove. Contaminated drinking water poses serious long-term health risks to millions of people across the U.S.
Related: Understanding the new measures on PFAS in drinking water
