New bill to address “forever chemical” filling CA’s water supply

The California Legislature unanimously approved a bill to address PFAS pollution and California’s water supply on Wednesday, which was introduced by Senator Jerry McNerney.

PFAs are chemicals containing substances also known as “forever chemicals,” as they linger in the environment for long periods of time. McNerney stated that the new bill will establish a state fund called the PFAS Mitigation Fund to provide financial support to local agencies and cities for cleaning toxic PFAS from California’s water.

McNerney released a report that showed how PFAs have been found in waterways serving at least 25.4 million Californians. Other research has linked to increased risks of prostate, kidney, and testicular cancers, decreased fertility in pregnant women, and developmental effects or delays in children.

A 2023 report by the U.S. Geological Survey displayed that nearly half of the tap water in the U.S. is contaminated with forever chemicals, according to McNerney.

“California has banned PFAS in consumer products ranging from food packaging and cosmetics to children’s cribs and playpens,” McNerney said. “But PFAS has been used in thousands of products during the past eight decades, so forever chemicals have contaminated a substantial portion of our water.”

For the full report, click here.