Letter Template: PFAS in Your Drinking Water

Use this template to contact your city council or water board about PFAS contamination in your water system. Fill in the bracketed fields with your information and your local data from CheckYourWater.

[Your Name]
[Your Address]
[City, State ZIP]
[Date]

[Mayor/Council Member Name or "Dear Members of the City Council"]
[City Name] City Council
[City Hall Address]
[City, State ZIP]

RE: PFAS Contamination in [City Name]'s Drinking Water

Dear [Mayor/Council Members],

I am writing as a resident of [City/Neighborhood] to bring attention to recent EPA testing data showing PFAS contamination in our public water supply.

According to data from the EPA's Unregulated Contaminant Monitoring Rule 5 (UCMR 5) program, published by CheckYourWater.org, our water system [System Name, PWSID: XXXXXXX] tested positive for [Compound Name] at [X.X] parts per trillion. The EPA's enforceable maximum contaminant level for this compound is [Y] parts per trillion. Our water exceeds this federal limit by a factor of [ratio].

[If multiple compounds detected: Testing also detected [Compound 2] at [level] ppt and [Compound 3] at [level] ppt. In total, [N] PFAS compounds were detected in our water system.]

PFAS, known as "forever chemicals," do not break down in the environment or the human body. The EPA established these limits after determining that prolonged exposure at levels above the MCL poses health risks including increased cancer risk, immune system effects, and developmental impacts in children.

I am requesting that the City Council take the following actions:

1. Issue a public statement acknowledging the UCMR 5 testing results for our water system and communicating them to all residents in plain language.

2. Direct the water utility to prepare a timeline and cost estimate for installing PFAS treatment (granular activated carbon filtration, reverse osmosis, or ion exchange) to bring our water below federal limits before the 2029 compliance deadline.

3. In the interim, provide guidance to residents on reducing PFAS exposure, particularly for pregnant women, nursing mothers, and households with infants, including information about NSF 53 and NSF 58 certified water filters.

4. Make the utility's full PFAS testing data, any treatment feasibility studies, and communications with the EPA available to the public.

I have attached a Water Quality Report Card for our system generated from the EPA data. I am prepared to discuss these findings at a future council meeting and welcome the opportunity to work with the council on a response that protects our community's health.

Respectfully,

[Your Name]
[Phone Number]
[Email Address]

Enclosure: Water Quality Report Card (available at checkyourwater.org)