%7B%22title%22:%22Top%206%20States%20with%20the%20Highest%20Total%20PFAS%20Detections%20in%20the%20U.S.%20(2022)%22,%22isVertical%22:false,%22summary%22:%22The%20graph%20displays%20the%20states%20with%20the%20highest%20total%20number%20of%20PFAS%20detections%20in%20the%20United%20States%20in%202022.%20The%20x-axis%20represents%20the%20states,%20while%20the%20y-axis%20shows%20the%20total%20number%20of%20PFAS%20detections%20in%20water%20samples.%20Maryland%20had%20the%20highest%20number%20of%20detections%20at%20134,%20followed%20by%20Georgia%20(127),%20Florida%20(119),%20North%20Carolina%20(111),%20California%20(103),%20and%20Alabama%20(96).%20The%20data%20highlights%20regional%20differences%20in%20PFAS%20contamination,%20with%20Maryland%20leading%20in%20detections%20and%20Alabama%20reporting%20the%20lowest%20among%20the%20top%20six%20states.%20The%20trend%20suggests%20widespread%20PFAS%20pollution,%20with%20notable%20concentrations%20in%20the%20Southeast%20and%20Mid-Atlantic%20regions.%22,%22isStacked%22:false,%22_type%22:%22chart%22,%22isLogarithmic%22:false,%22isDouble%22:false,%22data%22:%5B%7B%22name%22:%22Detections%22,%22theme%22:%22blue%22,%22_key%22:%22a212270fc53c%22,%22type%22:%22bar%22,%22dataset%22:%7B%22rows%22:%5B%7B%22cells%22:%5B%22Maryland%22,%22134%5Cr%22%5D,%22_type%22:%22tableRow%22,%22_key%22:%22fb3a804c-59ef-47d4-bbca-0581a1a748a7%22%7D,%7B%22cells%22:%5B%22Georgia%22,%22127%5Cr%22%5D,%22_type%22:%22tableRow%22,%22_key%22:%227d295e8f-3231-4e3b-baae-198ebd5277e6%22%7D,%7B%22cells%22:%5B%22Florida%22,%22119%5Cr%22%5D,%22_type%22:%22tableRow%22,%22_key%22:%22216b9459-4939-4b67-ba4a-057d7a564f84%22%7D,%7B%22cells%22:%5B%22North%20Carolina%22,%22111%5Cr%22%5D,%22_type%22:%22tableRow%22,%22_key%22:%22a32dd831-01e4-46a4-8b02-72991848c71a%22%7D,%7B%22cells%22:%5B%22California%22,%22103%5Cr%22%5D,%22_type%22:%22tableRow%22,%22_key%22:%22b1899961-7321-45d1-8948-fd9a0e2c259b%22%7D,%7B%22cells%22:%5B%22Alabama%22,%2296%22%5D,%22_type%22:%22tableRow%22,%22_key%22:%2268e2b868-5494-4f1d-aeeb-cf6e7a087866%22%7D%5D%7D,%22valueType%22:%22absolute%22,%22_type%22:%22datasets%22%7D%5D,%22axisName%22:%22states%22,%22slug%22:%7B%22current%22:%22highest-number-of-pfas-detections-top-states%22,%22_type%22:%22slug%22%7D%7D
Highest PFAS in water by state? Quick Answer
- Maryland, Georgia, and Florida have the highest PFAS contamination, with Maryland reporting 134 detections. These "forever chemicals" pose serious health risks.
Where Were the Most PFAS Detections in Water
In 2022, Maryland recorded the most PFAS detections in surface water, totaling 134, followed by Georgia (127), Florida (119), and North Carolina (111). California (103) and Alabama (96) also had high contamination levels. This shows that PFAS pollution is a big problem in many states, especially in the Southeast and Mid-Atlantic regions. The high numbers may be due to industrial sites, military bases, or more water testing in these areas.
What States Have PFAS in Water?
The data shows that PFAS is most common in Maryland, Georgia, and North Carolina. Some states, like Alaska, Idaho, and Missouri, have fewer reported cases, but that might be due to less testing, not cleaner water. Since testing isn’t the same everywhere, we don’t know the full scale of the problem.
Number of Water Sample Sites With PFAS Detections by States
| State | Number of sites | State | Number of sites |
| Maryland | 20 | West Virginia | 3 |
| Georgia | 18 | Alaska | 2 |
| North Carolina | 18 | Connecticut | 2 |
| Alabama | 16 | District of Columbia | 2 |
| Florida | 15 | Idaho | 2 |
| California | 14 | Kentucky | 2 |
| South Carolina | 11 | Maine | 2 |
| New York | 10 | Massachusetts | 2 |
| Pennsylvania | 8 | Michigan | 2 |
| Rhode Island | 6 | Mississippi | 2 |
| Virginia | 6 | Missouri | 2 |
| Washington | 6 | New Jersey | 2 |
| Oregon | 4 | Oklahoma | 2 |
| Texas | 4 | Tennessee | 2 |
| Ohio | 3 | Wisconsin | 2 |
Source: Waterkeeper® Alliance
Why Are PFAS Chemicals in Water Dangerous?
PFAS, or "forever chemicals," stay in the environment for a long time. They have been linked to serious health problems like cancer, immune system issues, and growth problems in children. PFAS chemicals in water are a big concern because they build up in the body over time, making health risks worse with continued exposure.
Even though more people know about the problem, there are still few federal rules on PFAS. The EPA has set advisory limits for some PFAS, but there is no strict nationwide rule to stop contamination. This puts many communities at risk, especially in states with high levels of PFAS.
Chemical Trends of PFAS in Water: PFOS Takes the Lead
Testing revealed PFOS (159) and PFOA (158) as the most frequently detected PFAS compounds, followed closely by PFHxA (153), PFPeA (126), and PFBS (118). Other commonly found chemicals include PFHpA (111) and PFHxS (94), while lower detections were recorded for PFNA (35), FBSA (31), and PFDA (27). Some compounds, such as 6.2 FTS (21), PFPeS (18), and FHxSA (13), were detected less often, while a group of other PFAS compounds accounted for 48 detections. This data highlights the widespread presence of multiple PFAS chemicals in water, with some appearing more frequently than others.
%7B%22title%22:%22Number%20of%20PFAS%20Compounds%20Detected%20in%20U.S.%20Waters%20(2022)%22,%22slug%22:%7B%22current%22:%22number-of-detected-pfas-compounds%22,%22_type%22:%22slug%22%7D,%22isVertical%22:true,%22data%22:%5B%7B%22theme%22:%22green%22,%22_key%22:%22a4ea5ab03537%22,%22type%22:%22bar%22,%22dataset%22:%7B%22rows%22:%5B%7B%22cells%22:%5B%22PFOS%22,%22159%5Cr%22%5D,%22_type%22:%22tableRow%22,%22_key%22:%224a04eba9-6359-4ff6-85f3-c4df866f6355%22%7D,%7B%22cells%22:%5B%22PFOA%22,%22158%5Cr%22%5D,%22_type%22:%22tableRow%22,%22_key%22:%22aef886a9-e5ca-4f22-a5d7-39a5eff9e4ba%22%7D,%7B%22cells%22:%5B%22PFHxA%22,%22153%5Cr%22%5D,%22_type%22:%22tableRow%22,%22_key%22:%22aff19c74-16e9-42ef-98f5-bd819483180d%22%7D,%7B%22cells%22:%5B%22PFPeA%22,%22126%5Cr%22%5D,%22_type%22:%22tableRow%22,%22_key%22:%22555523a4-624d-4d8b-bae8-c1e32db0383f%22%7D,%7B%22cells%22:%5B%22PFBS%22,%22118%5Cr%22%5D,%22_type%22:%22tableRow%22,%22_key%22:%22fda180b7-35e0-4b6a-8ad4-a1b608a81ecc%22%7D,%7B%22cells%22:%5B%22PFHpA%22,%22111%5Cr%22%5D,%22_type%22:%22tableRow%22,%22_key%22:%22b2cd4149-de00-4c92-b4e7-1457342eba3d%22%7D,%7B%22_key%22:%222f729d97-849e-4bf3-928c-4071bb533e6e%22,%22cells%22:%5B%22PFHxS%22,%2294%5Cr%22%5D,%22_type%22:%22tableRow%22%7D,%7B%22_key%22:%2203285d6f-c731-4f68-a8bb-46a607f35525%22,%22cells%22:%5B%22PFBA%22,%2267%5Cr%22%5D,%22_type%22:%22tableRow%22%7D,%7B%22cells%22:%5B%22PFNA%22,%2235%5Cr%22%5D,%22_type%22:%22tableRow%22,%22_key%22:%22bfede72d-78ab-414e-9d14-1df2e5e5132e%22%7D,%7B%22cells%22:%5B%22FBSA%22,%2231%5Cr%22%5D,%22_type%22:%22tableRow%22,%22_key%22:%22cddbbea3-e8ff-4d5b-ab7d-688259ed7a83%22%7D,%7B%22cells%22:%5B%22PFDA%22,%2227%5Cr%22%5D,%22_type%22:%22tableRow%22,%22_key%22:%2297ee6e82-1495-42e1-9e44-0e4d4c2ede92%22%7D,%7B%22_key%22:%22bbfe415e-8380-42db-8679-676495344666%22,%22cells%22:%5B%226.2%20FTS%22,%2221%5Cr%22%5D,%22_type%22:%22tableRow%22%7D,%7B%22_key%22:%225bee48e2-726a-4c21-a9ec-159be1750b1c%22,%22cells%22:%5B%22PFPeS%22,%2218%5Cr%22%5D,%22_type%22:%22tableRow%22%7D,%7B%22cells%22:%5B%22FHxSA%22,%2213%5Cr%22%5D,%22_type%22:%22tableRow%22,%22_key%22:%228b97415d-2b54-425f-8d5e-fbbb94f896b8%22%7D,%7B%22cells%22:%5B%22PFECHS%22,%229%5Cr%22%5D,%22_type%22:%22tableRow%22,%22_key%22:%222bead514-236b-4a45-abab-4b8ebe584627%22%7D,%7B%22cells%22:%5B%22PFHpS%22,%229%5Cr%22%5D,%22_type%22:%22tableRow%22,%22_key%22:%229e5c2fa1-6a5b-48e8-bdfa-371954634e6f%22%7D,%7B%22cells%22:%5B%22N-EtFOSAA%22,%228%5Cr%22%5D,%22_type%22:%22tableRow%22,%22_key%22:%22b8462a7d-e3fc-4273-95d2-3ff38906910c%22%7D,%7B%22cells%22:%5B%22Other%2017%20Compounds%22,%2248%22%5D,%22_type%22:%22tableRow%22,%22_key%22:%223323cc98-71b3-4e8a-a0a2-d5fcae9f010c%22%7D%5D%7D,%22valueType%22:%22absolute%22,%22_type%22:%22datasets%22,%22name%22:%22Detections%22%7D%5D,%22axisName%22:%22Type%22,%22isDouble%22:false,%22isStacked%22:false,%22summary%22:%22The%20graph%20displays%20the%20number%20of%20detected%20PFAS%20compounds%20in%20the%20United%20States,%20with%20the%20x-axis%20representing%20different%20PFAS%20compounds%20and%20the%20y-axis%20showing%20the%20number%20of%20detections.%20PFOS%20(159)%20and%20PFOA%20(158)%20were%20the%20most%20commonly%20detected%20compounds,%20followed%20by%20PFHxA%20(153),%20PFPeA%20(126),%20and%20PFBS%20(118).%20The%20detections%20decrease%20significantly%20for%20other%20compounds,%20with%20the%20lowest%20recorded%20at%20one%20detection%20for%20PFMPA,%20FOSAA,%20FOUEA,%20and%20NMeFOSE.%20The%20data%20highlights%20the%20prevalence%20of%20certain%20PFAS%20chemicals%20in%20water,%20with%20a%20steep%20drop-off%20in%20detections%20for%20less%20common%20compounds.%22,%22isLogarithmic%22:false,%22_type%22:%22chart%22%7D
What Can Be Done About PFAS in Water?
People in states with high PFAS levels should test their drinking water. Home filters can help, but stronger rules are needed to stop more pollution. When more people speak up, lawmakers feel more pressure to set stricter limits. As research finds more contamination, public awareness will be key to keeping water safe.
Legal action is addressing PFAS contamination, with PFAS lawsuits targeting manufacturers responsible for pollution and related health risks. Impacted communities seek compensation for medical issues and environmental cleanup.
Separately, Aqueous Film-Forming Foam (AFFF) lawsuits focus on contamination from firefighting foam. Military personnel, firefighters, and others exposed to AFFF-contaminated water may be eligible to file a claim.
In Conclusion
PFAS in water is still a big problem. PFOS and other PFAS chemicals have been found in many water samples, showing a serious health risk. Knowing what states have PFAS in water and where levels are highest can help people take action. Testing, using filters, and pushing for stronger rules are key to keeping drinking water safe for the future.
