Should You Test Your Water for PFAS?

Consider testing your water if any of the following apply to you:

  • You use a private well and live near a military base, airport, or industrial facility
  • You use a private well and biosolids (sewage sludge) have been applied to nearby agricultural fields
  • Your municipal water system has not publicly released PFAS testing results
  • You've heard news reports about PFAS contamination in your county
  • You have a documented PFAS-linked illness and want to understand your exposure

If you use a municipal water system: Check your water system's Consumer Confidence Report (CCR) — required to be published annually — for PFAS testing results. You can also search the EPA's UCMR 5 database. Many municipal systems now publish PFAS testing results on their websites following the 2024 MCL rule.

Important: Standard home filter pitcher tests and home testing kits do NOT reliably detect PFAS at the very low concentrations that matter (4 parts per trillion). Only certified laboratory analysis provides accurate PFAS results.

How PFAS Water Testing Works

PFAS water testing requires EPA-certified laboratory analysis using methods such as EPA Method 533 or EPA Method 537.1. These methods can detect PFAS at concentrations as low as 1–2 parts per trillion — well below the new EPA limits of 4 ppt for PFOA and PFOS.

The testing process:

  1. Order a PFAS test kit from a certified laboratory
  2. Collect a water sample according to the lab's instructions (usually a specific amount from your tap after a set flush time)
  3. Ship the sample to the lab in the provided container
  4. Receive results in 2–4 weeks, typically with a report listing PFAS compounds detected and their concentrations

Certified PFAS Testing Laboratories

Use only EPA-certified laboratories for PFAS testing. State-certified labs follow EPA methods and quality standards that ensure reliable results. Sources for finding certified labs:

  • State drinking water program: Your state environmental agency maintains a list of certified labs. Contact your state health or environmental department.
  • EPA's Safe Drinking Water Hotline: 1-800-426-4791
  • National Testing Laboratories: Offers PFAS panels starting around $200–$400
  • SimpleLab Tap Score: Offers a PFAS-focused water test with lab analysis and detailed results interpretation
  • Eurofins: Large certified environmental laboratory network
  • TestAmerica (now Eurofins): National network with PFAS capabilities

What Does a PFAS Test Measure?

A comprehensive PFAS water test using EPA Method 533 can detect up to 25 PFAS compounds, including:

  • PFOA (perfluorooctanoic acid)
  • PFOS (perfluorooctane sulfonic acid)
  • PFHxS, PFHxA, PFNA, PFHpA, PFBS
  • HFPO-DA (GenX chemicals)
  • Other PFAS compounds included in EPA Method 533

Results are reported in nanograms per liter (ng/L) or parts per trillion (ppt) — these are equivalent units. The new EPA MCLs are 4 ppt for PFOA and PFOS.

Understanding Your Results

Below Detection Limits

If results show "<LOQ" (below the limit of quantification) for all compounds, your water has no detectable PFAS above laboratory detection thresholds. This is the best result.

Above Detection but Below EPA Limits

Detectable PFAS below 4 ppt for PFOA/PFOS does not require immediate regulatory action but is worth monitoring. EPA considers there is no safe level of PFOA/PFOS exposure — the 4 ppt MCL reflects analytical feasibility more than a true "safe" threshold.

Above EPA MCLs

If your water tests above 4 ppt for PFOA or PFOS (or above relevant limits for other PFAS), you should:

  1. Stop drinking tap water until filtration is in place
  2. Contact your state health department and local water utility
  3. Install a certified reverse osmosis (RO) filter (most effective residential option)
  4. Contact an attorney if you have a PFAS-linked illness — your test result is valuable evidence

Blood Testing for PFAS Body Burden

In addition to water testing, blood serum testing can measure the level of PFAS accumulated in your body. The National Exposure Registry and state health departments have conducted community blood testing programs in areas with known contamination.

If you suspect PFAS exposure, you can ask your physician to order a PFAS blood panel through commercial laboratories. Quest Diagnostics and LabCorp offer PFAS blood testing. Elevated blood PFAS levels can be powerful evidence in a personal injury claim.

What If Your Water Tests Positive?

Finding PFAS in your water is alarming, but you have options:

Short-Term Protection

  • Use bottled water for drinking and cooking
  • Install a point-of-use reverse osmosis filter at your kitchen tap
  • Avoid using tap water for making infant formula or baby food

Long-Term Solutions

  • Whole-house reverse osmosis or granular activated carbon system
  • Advocate with your water utility for system-wide PFAS treatment
  • If on a private well, consult with your state environmental agency about remediation options

Legal Options

A positive PFAS test result — combined with a PFAS-linked illness — significantly strengthens your legal claim. The contamination source matters: if you can trace it to a specific military installation, industrial facility, or manufacturer, you may have viable defendants. Consult a PFAS attorney promptly.

Evaluate Your PFAS Claim — Free →