Study Finds Significant Economic and Health Costs Due to PFAS in Drinking Water
Recent research led by the University of Arizona reveals that contamination from “forever chemicals,” specifically PFAS, in U.S. drinking water results in a minimum of $8 billion annually in social costs. This comprehensive study, published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, delves into the substantial health impacts of PFAS, particularly when these chemicals infiltrate drinking water supplies.
The researchers concentrated on birth records in New Hampshire from 2010 to 2019, examining the health outcomes of mothers residing near areas with PFAS contamination. Findings indicated that mothers using water from wells “downstream” of contaminated sites experienced higher rates of infant mortality in the first year, increased instances of preterm births, and a greater number of low-birth-weight infants compared to those using “upstream” well water.
By extrapolating these findings nationwide, the study estimates that PFAS contamination results in at least $8 billion in annual costs related to medical care, long-term health issues, and reduced lifetime earnings. This research underscores the potential benefits of more stringent PFAS cleanup and regulation.
“If we compare costs we’re finding versus the cost of cleaning up PFAS, the answers are obvious,” remarked Derek Lemoine, a study coauthor and economics professor at the University of Arizona’s Eller College of Management. “Removing PFAS from drinking water not only results in drastically improved health outcomes. It also produces a significant long-term economic benefit.”
The study was a collaborative effort involving economics professors Derek Lemoine and Ashley Langer, along with Bo Guo, an associate professor of hydrology and atmospheric sciences. This collaboration began at an Arizona Institute for Resilience event designed to foster interdisciplinary research.
Other contributors included Eller economics alumnus Robert Baluja and former AIR-funded postdoctoral researcher Wesley Howden. PFAS chemicals, initially developed for protective coatings, are known for their resistance to heat, oil, and water. Dubbed “forever chemicals” due to their persistence in the environment, PFAS have been linked to health risks, particularly in infants exposed via their mothers during pregnancy.
“We found really substantial impacts on infant health, which expanded on what others before us had found,” stated Langer. “What we then do is calculate how these negative birth outcomes follow these children throughout their lives. The numbers we found represent the lowest end of the economic impact – we suspect it is even more.”
The research highlights two “long-chain” PFAS—PFOA and PFOS—which are no longer produced in the U.S. but continue to seep into groundwater. “Whatever PFAS we see in groundwater is only a tiny fraction of the PFAS that has been dumped in the environment,” explained Guo. “The majority of PFAS is still in the soil and migrating downward.”
Future research opportunities include examining the effects of newer PFAS compounds and the impact of long-term exposure. The study also points out that activated carbon filters, used by water utilities or installed at home, can effectively remove these long-chain PFAS from drinking water.
“These chemicals may be everywhere, but we still find that drinking water matters for pregnant women. Installing and maintaining home water filters could be prudent for them,” Lemoine suggested.
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