For 50 years, Safe Drinking Water Act has reduced diseases, and now ‘forever chemicals’ in the water

Zoë ReadDecember 20, 2024

Waterborne diseases plummeted, monitoring increased and drinking water treatment was upgraded. But not everyone has benefitted equally.

HealthPollution

Penn State OKs agreement with DEP to address PFAS around airport, pay more than $500K

Anne DanahyNovember 27, 2024

Penn State owns and runs the State College airport in Centre County. Under the agreement, the university will investigate and clean up toxic PFAS chemicals from the airport.

HealthWater

More than 30 Pa. schools detected toxic ‘forever chemicals’ in their drinking water that exceed EPA standard

Zoë ReadJune 21, 2024

For the first time, Pa. schools with on-site wells have been required to test drinking water for PFAS.

HealthPollutionWater

Nearly 19% of water systems tested in Pa. contain PFAS levels above new EPA standards

Zoë ReadJune 14, 2024

A majority of the water systems with high levels of PFAS are run by small municipalities or communities. The highest level is more than 500 times the new federal regulations.

HealthPollutionWater

College students find greener protections for firefighters

WDIYMay 31, 2024

As a class project, Lehigh University students came up with ways to protect firefighters from dangerous PFAS chemicals on the job.

DesignHealthNews

EPA announces first federal restrictions on toxic ‘forever chemicals’ in drinking water

Zoë ReadApril 10, 2024

The new rules will prevent more than 4 million cancer deaths, thousands of premature deaths and tens of thousands of serious illnesses.

HealthPollutionWater

EPA finalizes new rules for companies producing toxic PFAS chemicals

Zoë ReadJanuary 10, 2024

Companies that want to produce or manufacture toxic PFAS chemicals that are no longer in use are now required to notify the EPA.

Health

Pennsylvania to increase PFAS monitoring in rivers and streams

Zoë ReadSeptember 26, 2023

DEP will increase sampling in PFAS hotspots after the USGS found 76% of the waterways in Pa. contained these toxic chemicals.

HealthPollutionWaterWild Pennsylvania

Nearly half of drinking water in the U.S. contains toxic PFAS chemicals

Zoë ReadJuly 13, 2023

The study by U.S. Geological Survey finds PFAS is most prevalent in urban areas, and near airports, industry, and wastewater facilities.

HealthWater

EPA proposes first limits on toxic ‘forever chemicals’ for public drinking water

Zoë ReadMarch 16, 2023

While states like Pennsylvania and New Jersey have already set PFAS limits for public water systems, the EPA proposal is more restrictive.

HealthPollutionWater