Westridge, ranger station, Lowell on state list for testing of drinking water for PFAS contamination

By DOUG BATES/Editor/The Herald – Water systems serving the Westridge neighborhood, the Middle Fork Ranger Station and the city of Lowell are among 150 systems that Oregon plans to test for PFAS, or per- and poly-fluorinated substances.

The systems were chosen because they are close to sites that are known to be or suspected of being contaminated with PFAS.

PFAS are a group of chemicals used since the mid-20th century for their non-stick qualities and resistance to heat, moisture, grease and stains. They’re found in such products as non-stick pans, waterproof outerwear, food packaging and firefighting foam.

Operators of the Westfir-area and Lowell water systems won’t be charged for the testing, which is funded by the federal Environmental Protection Agency. The Westfir and Oakridge municipal water systems are not on the testing list.

PFAS are referred to as “forever chemicals,” meaning they don’t break down in the environment or human body, and can accumulate over time.

Growing evidence points to their adverse health effects including increased cholesterol levels, changes in liver enzymes, small decreases in infant birth weights, decreased vaccine response in children, increased risk of high blood pressure or pre-eclampsia in pregnant women, and increased risk of kidney or testicular cancer.

The Oregon Department of Environmental Quality’s laboratory will test the drinking water samples for 25 PFAS compounds, in partnership with the Oregon Health Authority.

DEQ hopes to begin testing water systems this month, spokesman Harry Esteve said.

The federal government doesn’t regulate PFAS in drinking water. However, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency said last week it will soon release a plan to crack down on the chemicals.

The Oregon Health Authority has established drinking water health advisory levels for four PFAS compounds most commonly found in people. They are PFOS, PFOA, PFNA and PFHxS.

The state’s advisory level is exceeded when the sum of the four compounds combined is over 30 parts per trillion.

Health advisory levels are not regulatory. Instead, they provide information on health risks so health officials can take steps to protect consumers.
Earlier this month, the nonprofit Environmental Working Group released a new report on PFAS in drinking water.

Although PFAS can be found in air and soil, the main route for exposure in Oregon is through drinking water contamination.
DEQ selected the drinking water systems to be tested and notified the operators, Esteve said.

States across the country received supplemental funding for fiscal 2020-21, to be used for projects related to emerging contaminants, Dave Emme, OHA’s Drinking Water Services program manager, said.

Oregon chose to use the money for PFAS testing and expects to spend about $192,000 on the work, Emme said.

If the testing finds samples that are over the state’s PFAS health advisory level, state officials will recommend the water system collect a confirmation sample.

If that sample also is over the limit, the state will recommend that the water system notify its customers.

Besides the Westfir-area and Lowell systems, Oregon’s testing list includes 16 other sites in Lane County, including drinking water systems serving the Fern Ridge Middle School in Elmira, now-closed Latham Elementary in Cottage Grove, Rexius-Coburg, a handful of mobile home parks, and the water system operated by the city of Creswell.

Reporting by Tracy Loew of the Salem Statesman Journal contributed to this news story.