Clean water advocates are urging Virginia officials to intensify PFAS monitoring at facilities that may be polluting state waterways with toxic "forever chemicals."
Whitney Pipkin and Lauren Hines-Acosta report for Bay Journal.
In short:
- The U.S. EPA recently set PFAS standards for drinking water, but these do not yet apply to waterways, leaving gaps in Virginia's PFAS regulation.
- Virginia's Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ) recently mandated PFAS testing in wastewater from some facilities, yet advocates argue for broader monitoring to address potential industrial sources.
- Environmental groups are pushing DEQ to require immediate monitoring at wastewater plants to reduce risks of PFAS contamination in rivers and streams.
Key quote:
“So far, DEQ is not, or essentially is refusing to go and look for these data where they exist, and then even when they have it, they’re refusing to do anything in the permitting system to control it.”
— David Sligh, conservation director, Wild Virginia
Why this matters:
PFAS chemicals, linked to cancer and immune disorders, persist in the environment, contaminating water sources and potentially impacting public health. Advocates argue that stricter monitoring at potential industrial sources would prevent PFAS from entering drinking water and waterways, a more effective approach than cleanup efforts alone.
