There is a group of chemicals in your tap water that the government did not even start regulating until 2024. They have been in use since the 1940s. They do not break down in the environment. They do not break down in your body. Scientists call them persistent. Most people call them forever chemicals. The official name is PFAS, which stands for per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances.
In Arizona, PFAS contamination is a documented problem. Military bases across the state have used a type of firefighting foam that contains PFAS for decades. That foam soaked into the ground and into the groundwater. Arizona has also received confirmation that PFAS have been detected in public water supplies across the state, including areas that supply water to Phoenix valley communities.
This is not a rumor. The EPA, the Arizona Department of Environmental Quality, and independent testing organizations have all confirmed it. Here is what you need to know.
What PFAS Are and Why They Are a Problem
PFAS are a family of more than 12,000 synthetic chemicals. They were invented because they are incredibly stable. They repel water, oil, and heat. That made them useful for a lot of things: non-stick cookware, stain-resistant carpeting, water-resistant clothing, food packaging, and military firefighting foam.
The problem is that same stability. PFAS do not break down. When they get into soil or water, they stay there. When you drink them or absorb them, they accumulate in your organs, particularly your kidneys, liver, thyroid, and bladder. Over years and decades, the levels build up.
A 2025 research article found that PFAS exposure can raise a person's cancer risk by up to 33 percent. The cancers most strongly linked to PFAS include:
- Kidney cancer
- Bladder cancer
- Thyroid cancer
- Testicular cancer
- Breast cancer
- Leukemia and other blood cancers
- Non-Hodgkin lymphoma
- Colorectal cancer
Beyond cancer, PFAS exposure has been linked to thyroid disease, hormone disruption, immune system problems, reproductive issues, and developmental problems in children.
How PFAS Got Into Arizona Water
The primary source of PFAS contamination in Arizona is military installations. Bases like Luke Air Force Base, Davis-Monthan Air Force Base, and other military sites have used aqueous film-forming foam (AFFF) for fire training and emergency response for decades. That foam contains PFAS. Over time, it soaked into the ground and made its way into groundwater.
In May 2024, the EPA formally notified the U.S. Air Force and the Arizona National Guard that their operations were contaminating Arizona drinking water with PFAS. Both organizations have since worked with regulators to reduce contamination, but the chemicals that are already in the water do not go away on their own.
PFAS also enter water from industrial sites, landfills, and areas where PFAS-containing products were manufactured or used heavily.
What the Rules Say (and Why Legal Does Not Mean Safe)
In April 2024, the EPA finalized the first-ever national drinking water standards for PFAS. The new limits for PFOA and PFOS are 4 parts per trillion. That sounds tiny, and it is. PFAS are dangerous at extremely low levels.
Water systems have until 2029 to comply with these new standards. That means your water could be above the new legal limit right now and your utility is still operating legally under the old rules. During this transition period, you have no guarantee your water meets the new, stricter standard unless you filter it yourself.
How to Remove PFAS From Your Drinking Water
There is one home filtration method that consistently removes PFAS to very low or undetectable levels: reverse osmosis.
A reverse osmosis system forces water through a membrane with pores so small that PFAS molecules cannot pass through. A quality RO system removes 90 to 99 percent of PFAS from your drinking water. It also removes arsenic, lead, nitrates, fluoride, chlorine, and hundreds of other contaminants.
This is why we include a free tankless reverse osmosis system with our Complete Home Water package. The whole-home softener handles hardness and chlorine at the main line. The RO system handles the dissolved chemical contaminants like PFAS at the kitchen faucet where you drink and cook.
Standard carbon filters, pitcher filters, and refrigerator filters do not reliably remove PFAS. You need a certified reverse osmosis system specifically rated for PFAS reduction.
Should You Be Worried?
The honest answer is that PFAS in water is a real and documented concern in Arizona. But panic does not help. What helps is taking action.
A reverse osmosis system at your kitchen sink means you and your family drink water that has been stripped of PFAS, arsenic, and the other contaminants that pass through standard treatment. It is the most effective thing a Phoenix homeowner can do right now.
Louis Water Co includes a free AlkaPro 800 tankless reverse osmosis system with every whole-home softener installation. Call us or fill out the form for a free quote. We serve the entire Phoenix valley including Gilbert, Chandler, Mesa, Scottsdale, Peoria, Surprise, and Goodyear.