What if the water coming from your tap or well could quietly impact infant health and even your community’s economic future? A groundbreaking new study suggests that’s more than just a worry — it’s a reality for many Americans.
What Are PFAS and Why They Matter
Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) are a large group of human-made chemicals used for decades in products designed to resist water, oil, heat, and stains — from non-stick pans, food packaging, stain-resistant clothing, and even firefighting foam [1]. Because they break down very slowly in the environment, PFAS are often called “forever chemicals.”
These chemicals can enter groundwater and drinking water through industrial releases, firefighting training areas, landfills, and contaminated soil leaching into aquifers. People are exposed primarily through drinking water and food, but also dust, air, and some consumer products [2] .
Scientists and public health experts have raised concerns for years because PFAS exposure has been linked to a range of potential health effects including immune system impacts, hormone disruption, liver damage, and reproductive issues [3].
New Study Links PFAS in Water to Infant Health Harms
A major new study from the University of Arizona, published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, offers some of the strongest evidence yet that PFAS in drinking water can harm human health.
Researchers analyzed all births in New Hampshire between 2010 and 2019 and compared outcomes for mothers receiving drinking water from wells that were downstream of PFAS-contaminated sites versus those upstream. By taking advantage of natural groundwater flow, the researchers could more confidently isolate the effects of PFAS exposure, specifically the PFOS and PFOA compounds.
Key findings included:
- Around 2.9X higher infant mortality in the first year of life among babies whose mothers drank water contaminated by PFAS [4].
- About 2.7X more preterm births (before ~28 weeks) [4].
- 2.8X more extremely low birth-weight births (1,000 grams or about 2.2lbs) [4].
Experts highlight that these outcomes have lifelong implications for health and development.
The researchers also estimated that these health impacts could cost at least $8 billion in annual social and healthcare costs across the U.S. if generalized nationally.
What This Means for Your Water
Even though some legacy PFAS compounds like PFOA and PFOS are no longer manufactured in the U.S., they persist in soil and groundwater for decades, continuing to be detected in private wells and community water supplies.
National water quality data also shows that PFAS are widespread in U.S. drinking water, with estimates that at least 45% of tested tap water samples contain at least one PFAS compound5.
Because PFAS move slowly through the environment and can contaminate water far from the original release site, your water may be at risk without you knowing it.
What You Can Do: Test Your Tap or Well with Our PFAS Water Test
The good news? You don’t have to wait to find out whether PFAS are in your water.
The empowerDX certified PFAS Water Test[link] can help you identify whether these chemicals are present in your well or tap water — including 29 different PFAS compounds such as PFOA and PFOS.
Here’s how it works:
- Easy sampling at home — all materials are included
- Send your sample back to our lab with our prepaid shipping
- Get clear digital results showing the levels of PFAS detected in your water
Whether you’re concerned because of nearby industrial history, a private well, or just want peace of mind, the test gives you the data you need to protect your family’s health.
Learn more about the empowerDX PFAS Water Test today!
Know Your PFAS Exposure
If you’re curious not just where your PFAS might be coming from, but how much you’ve already absorbed, you can also consider the empowerDX PFAS Exposure Blood Test. This test helps you identify which PFAS compounds are present in your blood.
It’s a useful complement to water testing, but it’s not a replacement — knowing whether your water source is contaminated is a key first step in reducing exposure.
References
[1] Perfluoroalkyl and Polyfluoroalkyl Substances (PFAS) — National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences (NIH) https://www.usgs.gov/news/national-news-release/tap-water-study-detects-pfas-forever-chemicals-across-us
[2] A Review of the Pathways of Human Exposure to Poly- and Perfluoroalkyl Substances (PFASs) and Present Understanding of Health Effects — ScienceSpace https://scispace.com/papers/a-review-of-the-pathways-of-human-exposure-to-poly-and-21ibeto3y1
[3] What Are the Health Risks of PFAS? — empowerDX Lab https://empowerdxlab.com/articles/what-are-the-health-risks-of-pfas
[4] Drinking Water PFAS Exposure and Infant Health Outcomes — Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences (PNAS) https://www.pnas.org/doi/10.1073/pnas.2509801122
[5] Tap Water Study Detects PFAS ‘Forever Chemicals’ Across the US — U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) https://www.usgs.gov/news/national-news-release/tap-water-study-detects-pfas-forever-chemicals-across-us
