Recent Developments on the ‘Forever Chemicals’ in American Drinking Water

While it hasn’t been one of the biggest stories this year, outlets across the spectrum have continued to report on the safety of American drinking water and politics around it throughout 2025.

For Context: Synthetic “forever chemicals” (PFAS) that resist breaking down and are hard to detect are often found in water, household products, clothing, and sometimes human blood. According to the Environmental Protection Agency, there are 3,309 sites that reported having PFAS in drinking water as of August 2025.

Detection Breakthrough: On September 29, CBS News (Lean Left bias) reported that researchers from the University of Chicago and the US Department of Energy have developed a new method to detect traces of PFAS in water using a handheld device. Existing detection methods currently take weeks to get results and involve a level of expertise, according to one of the researchers.

NH Settlement: On September 24, NewsNation (Center) reported that New Hampshire received the first $8 million of a $56 million settlement it won in a dispute with American conglomerate 3M over PFAS in its water. The state’s Drinking Water and Groundwater Trust Fund will receive the funds and distribute them to water systems across the state.

Potential Risks: On September 22, The Epoch Times (Lean Right) published an analysis claiming that 90% of American drinking water could carry “uncertain risks” due to the “chemical byproducts” of “chlorine and other disinfectants.” The writer, Kimberly Drake, went in-depth on where public drinking water comes from, how it’s treated, byproducts that could be dangerous, potential risks, and how water treatment could improve.

Delayed Cleanup: On September 23, Newsmax (Right) reported that the Department of Defense has postponed a PFAS cleanup scheduled to take place at about 140 US military sites. Newsmax noted PFAS have been “widely used” by the US military and that “over time, the chemicals seeped into soil and groundwater.”

PFAS in Beer: On September 29, 9 & 10 News (Center) highlighted a recent study from ACS publications that analyzed the presence of PFAS in beer brewed in Michigan, California, and North Carolina. The study noted, “Approximately 18% of U.S. breweries are located within zip codes with detectable PFAS in municipal drinking water.”

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