New EPA Rules for Drinking Water Point Out Filtration Needs

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) introduced first-ever rules in April to remove a group of synthetic chemicals from the nation’s drinking water systems.

The standards are targeted at public utilities, but the policy is also a vehicle that could drive awareness of water filtration and create a selling opportunity for plumbing businesses to resolve customer fears over contamination. Residential and building owners with their own private water supplies may be looking for filters and systems to ensure their potable water is also free of PFAS.

PFAS is an abbreviation for perfluoroalkyl and polyfluoroalkyl substances, which comprise a group of synthetic chemicals widely used in manufacturing since the 1940s. Products from the linings of fast-food boxes and non-stick cookware to firefighting foams include PFAS, which repel oils and resist heat. The chemicals trickled into groundwater and rivers over time.

Some water-equipment manufacturers have established markets in the residential and commercial sectors and offer a range of filtration systems that can be installed at the tap or plumbed into an entire building’s water supply, which provides additional protection against other potential means of exposure to contaminated water. Flow rates are also usually higher with whole system filters.

Water treatment emerged as a growth sector in roughly the last 25 years, said David Warren, the retired senior vice president, president and general manager of North America Water Heating (NAWH) for A. O. Smith.

Warren spoke with Southern PHC magazine in 2022 and said the company entered the sector with the acquisition of a company in China in 2009. The company then moved into India and other Asian countries.

“It was something we had great interest in, understanding there’s going to be a need across the globe for clean water,” Warren said.

The experience gained in other nations helped with entry into the North American water treatment sector. A. O. Smith acquired other companies to expand its reach, including the acquisition of Impact Water Products, a California-based water treatment company, which expanded A. O. Smith’s West Coast presence in residential and commercial water treatment.

“Concerns are mounting as overall consumer awareness around water quality has continued to climb in recent years. More and more Americans are choosing to protect themselves from potentially harmful contaminants by using a water filter at home, and it’s no wonder given the increasing frequency of water challenges in news headlines across the nation,” said Sam Karge, current president of North America Water Treatment at A. O. Smith.

“Between PFAS hotspots, lead in pipes and leaching from industrial sites, train derailments, and plastics making their way into our water and food supply — water concerns are much more frequent and highly visible to consumers than ever before.

“The need for water treatment across the globe will continue to grow, along with the myriad of emerging contaminants that need to be identified and eventually regulated,” Karge said.

Warren said water treatment may equal the size of A. O. Smith’s water heating business. “There’s a huge opportunity for growth in the water treatment space,” Warren said. “That would be our expectation, that water heating and water treatment will get to be about the same size,” he said.

In July, A. O. Smith Corp. announced it has signed an agreement to acquire Pureit from Unilever. Pureit offers a broad range of residential water purification solutions and has annual sales of approximately $60 million, primarily in India.

Manufacturers use carbon filters, some UV products and reverse osmosis systems. Most are targeted at point-of-use installations for drinking and cooking, but whole-building systems are also produced.

More Testing Ahead

The extent of known contamination will likely grow as testing initiatives and requirements for public water supplies expands, said Eric Yeggy, technical affairs director for the Water Quality Association.

Gauging public awareness around PFAS contamination is difficult because people seldom pause to consider that water could be affected by man-made pollutants that have leeched into groundwater.

People drinking well water often only think of water filtration over the taste, smell or color of water. However, Yeggy says when people do find out from testing that their water has PFAS they want it removed.

“There’s something about PFAS. I don’t know if it’s because it’s a man-made chemical or whether people react to the idea we put it there. It’s pollution. It definitely raises their (degree of) anger compared to a naturally occurring chemical such as arsenic, in groundwater,” he said.

He also recommended to look for certified water treatment products whenever possible, as this third-party testing and evaluation provides additional assurance that the product is safe and will perform as advertised.

Choosing the type of filter begins with testing, then checking with manufacturers to find out which chemicals their products are certified to reduce. There are many different types of contaminants and no product is certified to remove every contaminant, Yeggy said.

“There are many variables which impact the effectiveness of each technology in any given situation, including the background water chemistry and the types of PFAS which are present. There are also emerging technologies which are being studied for the removal of PFAS,” Yeggy said.

A significant portion of the water treatment products which are tested by third-party organizations like WQA fail to meet the requirements necessary for certification, which Yeggy points to as evidence that the standards are rigorous, and explains why WQA recommends using certified products whenever possible.

The new EPA rules set limits for five individual PFAS: PFOA, PFOS, PFNA, PFHxS, and HFPO-DA (also known as “GenX Chemicals”). The rule also sets a limit for mixtures of any two or more of four PFAS: PFNA, PFHxS, PFBS, and “GenX chemicals.”

The new rules set enforceable maximum contaminant levels at 4 parts per trillion, which the EPA said is the lowest levels that are feasible for effective implementation. A map produced by the Environmental Working Group shows 5,021 sites in 50 states where current measurements vary wildly. Some sites show contamination measurements in the tens, hundreds and— in a few cases — thousands of parts per trillion.

High concentrations of some PFAS may lead to adverse health risks in people, according to the EPA. The chemicals are commonly called “forever chemicals” because they take so long to break down.

The chemicals have been linked to decreased fertility, developmental effects in children, and higher risks of some cancers, including prostate, kidney, and testicular cancers, among other health problems, the EPA says.

The EPA says PFAS are found in the blood of people and animals all over the world and are present at low levels in a variety of food products and in the environment, though the degree of health risk is still being studied.

The chemicals are so pervasive that a study by United States Geological Survey (USGS) found PFAS in at least 45 percent of the nation’s tap water.

The (WQA) offers a list of certified systems from manufacturers. Many systems use point-of-use filters, while others use plumbed water in storage tanks and lines. Some companies also offer filtration in water pitchers.

“These new regulations underscore the importance of proactive measures in providing access to high-quality drinking water. Water treatment professionals stand ready to help with certified pointof-use and point-of-entry solutions that offer consumers a reliable means to protect their homes from potential health risks associated with PFAS,” said WQA CEO Pauli Undesser.

The WQA offers a series of training programs to its members, which includes residential filtration systems and how to choose the best solution for filtration.

Certified Manufacturers Are Prepared

Manufacturer Brondell offers certified filtration systems, with most mounted under sinks and having dedicated taps for filtered water.

Brondell entered the filtration market as an extension of the company’s concept of “home wellness,” said Parker Benthin, chief revenue officer. The company’s main business is in bidets and other products related to hygience, and water filtration is now among its fastest growing product lines as homeowners seek to protect their health.

When the company first started selling filtration, the market was “very much a wild west kind of place,” with lots of products being touted as having good filtration levels, Benthin said. Many were falling short of requirements, though. Brondell sought to stand out by selling certified products, and the company’s products are on the list of WQA certified filters.

“We make sure that we have very high-quality components and their systems are engineered to do what we they do,” he says. “We know at that last point of use at that point of consumption that we are providing that really high level.”

The Coral Undercounter 3-Stage Water Filtration is WQA certified to reduce 75 contaminants. The system can be installed in minutes and filters are easy to replace. It comes with a separate faucet with an LED indicator to alert when filters need changing.

Capella is a small reverse-osmosis system with 20 times more wastewater efficiency than other similar systems and is certified to reduce 86 contaminants, including PFAS. It also has a separate faucet with an LED indicator for filter changes.

The company also makes products that are sold through distributors and plumbing companies. Contracts can also be set up to schedule filter replacements in service agreements. Sales representatives can effectively market filtration by understanding the needs of a building owner and making them aware of contamination from industrial and commercial sites that people might not know about.

For plumbers and sales representatives, Yeggy said they should first turn to the WGA’s code of ethics on the group’s website site at wqa.org to ensure customers are satisfied and not left feeling they have been scammed. Cases of door-to-door sales and fishy marketing tactics have been reported to the WQA and undermines the core mission of protecting public health.

“Provide customers with accurate information but stick to what is known and can be backed up with scientific data.” Yeggy said. “WQA has designed a PFAS portal with resources and information to help our members provide accurate information to their customers and to navigate this very complex water-quality issue.”

The Coral Undercounter 3-Stage Water Filtration by Brondell is WQA certified to reduce 75 contaminants. The system can be installed in minutes and filters are easy to replace. It comes with a separate faucet with an LED indicator to alert when filters need changing.