PFAS in the City of Edmond, OK Lake Arcadia Water Exceeds EPA Safety Limits
Per the Environmental Working Groups interactive map, the City of Edmond - Lake Arcadia Exceeded the EPAs water PFAS Limit in 2024. The City of Edmond has two primary and one secondary public water source. The primary sources include Lake Arcadia’s surface water and 56 wells which collect water from the Garber- Wellington Aquifer. Edmond also purchases up to 25 million gallons of water daily from Oklahoma City. Given that Lake Arcadia is a primary source for the City of Edmond, Oklahoma’s water, some may find the high level of PFAS to be of concern. In this blog post we’ll discuss what PFAS are, the acceptable limits and how you can remove them from your drinking water.
What are PFAS?
PFAS is an acronym for per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances, which are a group of man-made chemicals used in industrial and consumer products to make them resistant to water, heat, stains, grease, and oil. PFAS are described as “forever chemicals” because they don’t break down easily in the environment. The inability to break down easily causes PFAS to accumulate in the environment and our bodies, leading to many health concerns.
Where are PFAS commonly found?
PFAS are found in many consumer and industrial products as well as in the environment, food and water. In this article, we’ll focus on PFAS found in water.
Consumer products with PFAS
- Drinking water
- Water- resistant fabrics
- Non-stick cookware
- Cleaning products
- Food-packaging
- Personal care products
- Waste sites, military bases and manufacturing facilities
How are PFAS detected?
PFAS per-and polyfluoroalkyl substances are invisible, odorless and tasteless. Water testing is the only way to know if they are present in your water. Culligan offers convenient PFAS testing. However, testing is not without its limits. Testing for PFAS reflects a single point in time and these levels can change. Therefore, having a certified water treatment system in place, even for non-detectable levels of PFAS, can give you peace of mind that your water is safe.
What are the health risks associated with PFAS?
According to the EPA, “Current peer-reviewed scientific studies have shown that exposure to certain levels of PFAS may lead to:
- Reproductive effects such as decreased fertility or increased high blood pressure in pregnant women.
- Developmental effects or delays in children, including low birth weight, accelerated puberty, bone variations, or behavioral changes.
- Increased risk of some cancers, including prostate, kidney, and testicular cancers.
- Reduced ability of the body’s immune system to fight infections.
- Hormones disruption.
- Increased cholesterol levels and/or risk of obesity.”
What is an acceptable limit for PFAS in Oklahoma?
In April 2024, the EPA established an acceptable limit for 6 PFAS. The EPA established limits for PFAS are listed in the chart below. Oklahoma does not yet have established limits for acceptable levels of PFAS.
| Compound | Final MCLG | Final MCL (enforceable levels)1 |
| PFOA | Zero | 4.0 parts per trillion (ppt) (also expressed as ng/L) |
| PFOS | Zero | 4.0 ppt |
| PFHxS | 10 ppt | 10 ppt |
| PFNA | 10 ppt | 10 ppt |
| HFPO-DA (commonly known as GenX Chemicals) | 10 ppt | 10 ppt |
| Mixtures containing two or more of PFHxS, PFNA, HFPO-DA, and PFBS | 1 (unitless) Hazard aIndex | 1 (unitless) Hazard Index |
1 Compliance with MCLs is determined by running annual averages at the sampling point.
What were the levels of PFAs found in Lake Arcadias Water?
Lake Arcadia’s water sample exceeded acceptable levels of PFOS (a specific type of PFAS chemical) testing at 6.4 ppt, whereas the EPA’s acceptable limit is 4.0 ppt. Also, the combination of PFHxS and PFBS (additional types of PFAS chemicals), exceeded the limit for mixtures on the “Hazard Index”, where a combined presence of certain PFAS chemicals, even in small amounts, can be considered a potential health concern.
| Chemical | Years tested | Maximum Level (ppt) | EPA Final Enforceable Limit |
| PFBS | 2024 | 4.7 | Mixtures containing two or more of PFHxS, PFNA, HFPO-DA, and PFBS 1 (unitless) Hazard Index |
| PFHxS | 2024 | 4.5 | 10 ppt OR Mixtures containing two or more of PFHxS, PFNA, HFPO-DA, and PFBS 1 (unitless) Hazard Index |
| PFOS | 2024 | 6.4 | 4.0 ppt |
If PFAS are monitored, Should I be concerned?
The EPA has set forth regulations for 6 PFAS chemicals although up to 12,000 have been identified. The EPA doesn’t require public water systems to notify water consumers of high PFAS limits until 2027, therefore you may not know they are currently high unless you perform your own water test. Per the EPA, public water systems are given until 2029 to correct high levels of PFAS, so years could go by before PFAS are reduced in the water supply.
Consumers on well water are not excluded from possible PFAS contamination however, they will be responsible for their own PFAS testing and removal.
The U.S. Geological survey states that “At least 45% of the nation’s tap water is estimated to have one or more types of the chemicals known as per- and polyfluorinated alkyl substances, or PFAS, according to a new study by the U.S. Geological Survey. There are more than 12,000 types of PFAS, not all of which can be detected with current tests; the USGS study tested for the presence of 32 types.”
Do water filters remove PFAS?
According to the EPA Fact Sheet, Reducing PFAS in Your Drinking Water with a Home Filter and with our own water expertise we know that not all water filters will remove PFAS and that it is important to look for a third-party certified filter. Culligan’s Aquasential RO and Aquasential Smart RO systems with Total Defense are third-party certified to ANSI/NSF standards to reduce Total PFAS by more than 99.99%. Culligan’s Aquasential Whole Home PFAS Filter is third-party certified to NSF/ANSI standards to reduce Total PFAS by up to 99.99%. Total PFAS certification covers the 7 most common forms of PFAS, including PFOA, PFOS, PFBS, PFDA, PFHpA, PFHxS, and PFNA.
For more information about PFAS water testing or removal, contact your local Culligan dealer.
