Water problem — solved
PFAS in Drinking Water
PFAS are the rare water topic where the headlines and the honest science mostly agree: these chemicals persist, Pennsylvania already limits them, and two kinds of home treatment — certified reverse osmosis and specified activated carbon — are what actually reduce them. Pitchers vary. Boiling does nothing. Here is the practical version for Lehigh Valley and Northeast PA homeowners.
Root causes
What causes it in NEPA homes
Industrial and firefighting foam legacy
PFAS were used for decades in non-stick coatings, waterproofing, packaging, and firefighting foam. They do not break down, so they accumulate in groundwater and some municipal sources.
Utility detections, not a scare story
Public systems must test and report. Your Consumer Confidence Report is the first place to look — not a Facebook rumor. Some Pennsylvania systems have posted detections; many have not.
Private wells have no automatic test
If you are on a well, nobody is required to check PFAS but you. In-home strips are not reliable at the parts-per-trillion levels that matter. That is a certified lab.
Treatment that does not work
Boiling concentrates PFAS slightly. Softeners do not remove them. Ordinary fridge filters often lack the certification that names PFAS reduction.
Your options
Ways to fix it
Read the report first
On city water, open this year’s Consumer Confidence Report and look for PFOA, PFOS, and related compounds. Pennsylvania already has enforceable state limits; EPA’s federal rule is tightening on a longer clock. Exceedance language in the CCR is the trigger — not a salesman.
How to read your CCRCertified reverse osmosis at the kitchen
NSF/ANSI 58 systems with PFAS reduction listed are the point-of-use standard for drinking and cooking water. That is the tap you swallow — coffee, formula, cooking — not the shower.
PFAS filtration systemsSpecified activated carbon
Some carbon filters are certified under NSF/ANSI 53 for PFAS reduction. “Carbon” on a box is not enough — the listing has to name PFAS. Whole-home carbon that is certified can be part of a municipal design; we will not imply that every carbon tank does this job.
City water filtrationLab test on wells
Private wells need a certified laboratory, not a kitchen strip. We coordinate that when the setting or your concern warrants it, then design only if the result calls for treatment.
Free in-home water testingDo not boil “to be safe”
Boiling concentrates PFAS slightly. It is the wrong instinct. Read the CCR on city water; use a certified lab on wells; then certified RO or listed carbon if you want a barrier.
NSF listing or it is a guess
Fridge filters and generic “carbon” boxes often have no PFAS reduction on the NSF/ANSI 53 or 58 listing. If the contaminant is not named, do not count on the cartridge.
Do pitchers actually work?Good to know