Comment Submissions - Announcement of Availability of a Draft Technical Support Document and Public Workshop for Proposed Public Health Goals for Perfluorooctanoic Acid and Perfluorooctane Sulfonic Acid in Drinking Water

Thank you for your important and urgent work to review to set the limits PFOS and PFAS in drinking water. Access to clean water is a basic human right and foundational for good health and survival. CleanEarth4kids.org asks you to set the Public Health Goals (PHGs) for PFOA, PFOS and all PFAS in drinking water at 1 ppt. PFAS must be treated as a class. DTSC has already determined “regulating individual PFAS is ineffective” and California treats them as a class as shown by SB343, AB1200, AB1201 which were signed by Governor Newsom on Oct 5, 2021. Perfluoroalkyl and polyfluoroalkyl substances, called PFAS, are a class of almost 5,000 synthetic chemicals found in many products like food packaging, waterproofing sprays, household cleaners, stain resistant carpet, nonstick cookware and fire fighting foam. PFAS as a class share many characteristics and toxicity. PFAS are known as "forever chemicals" as they are extremely strong and don't break down in the environment or in our bodies. They are linked to liver damage, thyroid disease, developmental and reproductive problems, high cholesterol, obesity, immunity issues, hormone suppression and several types of cancer. DuPont was sued in 1999 over PFOS and PFOA contamination. Documents revealed DuPont and PFOA inventor 3M had secretly been doing medical studies on PFOA for over 40 years. 3M researchers stated in 1978 that PFOA and PFOS “should be regarded as toxic”. In 1981, 3M found that PFOA caused birth defects in rats. DuPont knew PFOA causes cancerous tumors in lab animals by the 1990s. In 2005, DuPont reached a $16.5 million settlement with the EPA for concealing their knowledge of PFOA toxicity. Despite all this, PFAS including PFOS and PFOA remain unregulated and continue to be used. Research shows widespread PFAS contamination of drinking water and studies by the CDC showed at least 12 PFAS in the blood of almost all Americans. A new study by the Environmental Working Group (EWG) released in October 2021 has identified almost 42,000 possible sources of PFAS pollution in water. Those responsible must be identified and required to not only stop their pollution, but pay for the filtration required to remove PFAS from our precious water. Please protect Californians and set a strong precedent for other states. Please set PHGs for all PFAS in drinking water at 1 ppt. Thank you for working on this urgent matter. Water is life. Sincerely, Suzanne M. Hume CleanEarth4Kids.org