U.S. Water and Food Contamination Shows Widespread PFAS and Unsafe Drinking Water

New data from the Environmental Working Group (EWG) map PFAS "forever chemicals" at 9,728 locations across the United States, affecting an estimated 176 million people whose tap water contains detectable PFAS. Federal monitoring under the Safe Drinking Water Act has identified PFAS in 3,539 public water systems, representing roughly 95 % of systems tested.

A separate study finds that 10‑20 % of U.S. drinking‑water supplies violate EPA safety standards, exposing about 20 % of Americans to unsafe water. The study notes that while EPA regulations cover roughly 90 contaminants, more than 42,000 chemicals are used in industry, many of which are unregulated. Low‑income, Black and Hispanic communities experience higher levels of contamination.

EWG’s 2026 Shopper’s Guide also reports widespread pesticide residues in produce. A PFAS‑linked fungicide was detected in 14 % of fruit and vegetable samples, with strawberries topping a "Dirty Dozen" list for multiple pesticide residues. Spinach showed an average of seven pesticide types, including permethrin in 76 % of samples. These findings highlight systemic chemical exposure through both water and food.