Reducing the presence of contaminants in tap water might prevent over 100,000 cancer diagnoses, suggests EWG.
The Environmental Working Group (EWG) has highlighted the urgent need for improvements in drinking water safety and regulation in the U.S., calling for a shift from single-contaminant strategies to a focus on targeting multiple pollutants simultaneously.
In a recent study, the EWG has recommended reducing exposure to multiple tap water contaminants, particularly harmful chemicals like PFAS (per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances). Their approach includes advocating for stricter health-based guidelines than those currently set by the EPA, comprehensive testing, transparency through their Tap Water Database, and limiting industrial pollution at the source to prevent contamination.
One of the key aspects of EWG’s recommendations is using stricter health-based contaminant limits. The EWG’s health guidelines are more rigorous than federal standards, reflecting updated science on contaminants like PFAS, which are linked to cancer and other health risks. They argue that current EPA limits underestimate these dangers, so adopting stronger standards would better protect health.
Another crucial aspect is monitoring multiple contaminants simultaneously. The EWG’s Tap Water Database collects and analyzes millions of water quality test results, identifying many contaminants—over 517 chemicals tested—across nearly 50,000 utilities nationwide. This database helps consumers understand their local water quality and advocates for target reductions in numerous harmful substances rather than just one.
To address the source of PFAS contamination, which stems from widespread industrial use, EWG recommends preventing pollution upstream by restricting discharges from industrial sites. This proactive approach is seen as necessary because removal after contamination puts strains on public systems and leaves some threats unaddressed.
The EWG also promotes federal regulation and funding for contaminant monitoring. While the EPA has begun monitoring many PFAS compounds under programs like UCMR 5 and proposed regulatory limits for some PFAS chemicals, EWG calls for faster, stronger federal standards for more PFAS types to reduce exposure nationwide.
By combining these recommendations—stricter health guidelines, comprehensive monitoring, prevention of industrial pollution, and enhanced federal regulation—EWG estimates that reducing multiple tap water contaminants could prevent over 100,000 cancer cases across the United States, significantly improving public health.
Olga Naidenko, Ph.D., vice president for science investigations at EWG, stated that efforts should be made to implement treatment solutions that reduce a wide array of pollutants, rather than tackling contaminants one at a time. If utilities and regulators focused on reducing the top ten contaminants across the board, more than half of the projected cancer cases could be prevented, according to EWG’s analysis.
The EWG's latest research indicates that Americans using community water systems are exposed daily to mixtures of potentially harmful substances. These contaminants include arsenic, disinfection byproducts, and radioactive substances. The nonprofit's recommendations aim to make drinking water safer and address the urgent need for improvements in drinking water safety and regulation in the U.S.
The EWG believes that current federal water standards fall short of protecting Americans' long-term health and continues to advocate for an overhaul of the EPA’s outdated drinking water regulations, many of which haven't been updated in decades. The nonprofit also recommends increasing federal and state investments in modern water treatment technology.
For more information, visit the EWG’s full release at this link: EWG’s Release.
- The Environmental Working Group (EWG) is advocating for stricter health-based guidelines for contaminants like PFAS, which are linked to medical-conditions such as cancer, as part of their approach to improving health-and-wellness by ensuring safer drinking water.
- In addressing climate-change and its impact on the environment, the EWG's recommendations include preventing pollution from industrial sources, such as PFAS, to safeguard water quality and reduce exposure to harmful chemicals, thus contributing to health-and-wellness and the environment.
- The EWG's research indicates that a focus on targeting multiple pollutants simultaneously, including over 517 chemicals tested across nearly 50,000 utilities nationwide, will significantly reduce the risk of various health-conditions like cancer, thereby improving the health-and-wellness of Americans and addressing the urgent need for improvements in drinking water safety and regulation.
