Skip to main content

PFAS in drinking water

Header for drinking water week

PFAS in drinking water

In honor of Drinking Water Week, we're sharing information about PFAS in drinking water. In 2019, Governor Gretchen Whitmer signed Executive Order 2019-3, establishing the Michigan PFAS Action Response Team (MPART) as an established, enduring body to address the threat of PFAS contamination in Michigan, protect public health, and ensure the safety of Michigan's land, air, and water, while facilitating inter-agency coordination, increasing transparency, and requiring clear standards to ensure accountability.

  • Michigan PFAS Action Response Team (MPART)

    For more information about PFAS, visit Michigan.gov/PFASresponse.

  • Introduction to PFAS

    Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) are a large family of human-made chemicals that contain carbon, fluorine, and other elements. PFAS are found in a variety of products including firefighting foams, household products such as non-stick cookware, food packaging, and stain and water repellants.

    People can be exposed to PFAS in a variety of ways, including drinking water contaminated with PFAS. 

  • PFAS cycle

    PFAS Cycle

    PFAS chemicals don't break down easily and can build up over time. In recent years, experts have become increasingly concerned about the potential effects of high concentrations of PFAS on human health. PFAS move easily through the ground and may get into groundwater that is used for some water supplies or for private drinking water wells.

    Take a closer look at the PFAS cycle
What is PFAS and why are some communities affected more than others by it? To answer these questions and more, watch this video for an animation of how PFAS gets into our environment.

Why are my PFAS test results different than my neighbors?

How to find out if PFAS may be a concern in your drinking water depends on how you get your water. If you’re on a public supply, your water is already routinely tested for the seven PFAS chemicals regulated under the Michigan Safe Drinking Water Act.

If you have a private well, you can find out if you are in or near a PFAS Site or Area of Interest and/or test your water for PFAS. Find out about why results may vary from well to well with this short video.