Despite nearly 7 in 10 Americans expressing concern about water safety, only 22% are aware of PFAS (per and poly-fluoroalkyl substances) in their domestic water supplies.
Judd Larned, President of Culligan North America, emphasizes the urgent need for effective strategies to bridge this knowledge gap and enhance public awareness of PFAS contamination. Before the release of Culligan’s new report, Environment+Energy Leader interviewed Larned to discuss these challenges and potential solutions.
“The EPA regulations are a great first step to help bridge the existing knowledge gap as they brought widespread attention to PFAS in America. But even with the regulations, there are many questions and people are unsure of how they can act now.”
Larned points out that the presence of PFAS varies based on location, adding to the confusion. Although there are estimates about the volume of contaminated water supplies, widespread testing by utilities is just starting, leaving many unsure of the necessary actions. Culligan focuses solely on water, bringing expertise and innovation to test, understand, and treat water.
“We believe everyone should have testing options to understand what’s in your water, especially as you can’t see, smell, or taste PFAS in your water. Once tested, our experts can explain what the results mean and which solutions we can offer to ensure your confidence in the instant access to clean, safe, great-tasting water.”
According to the recent survey "What’s on Tap: American Drinking Water Survey” from Culligan, most Americans are very concerned about the safety of their water but lack clear solutions. The survey uncovered significant disparities in water quality concerns and actions to address them following new EPA regulations on ‘forever chemicals.’
Given that water safety ranks among Americans’ top concerns, educational campaigns must be designed to increase understanding and awareness of the potential health impacts of PFAS.
“Educational campaigns focused on solutions and consumer benefits rather than fearmongering are successful in increasing awareness and action. This survey is a great example of understanding where consumers are so we can meet them there – helping them easily understand what’s in their water and the potential impacts PFAS can have, while empowering them with the solutions to find confidence in their clean, safe water.”
Despite 89% of Americans knowing contaminants can be present in their home water, 96% have never tested for PFAS. Larned highlights the need for initiatives or incentives to encourage more frequent and thorough testing of home water supplies:
“It’s our belief that people don’t test because they may not know they can – despite their concerns. That’s why we activated this survey and are working to shine a light on the gaps with experts at the ready to help Americans better understand what’s in their water and how they can address it.”
“If your municipality doesn’t offer free testing, your local Culligan expert is ready to be your partner in carefully testing and offering expert treatment solutions.”
Many Americans rely on refrigerator filters and other household water treatment products, but not all remove PFAS. Larned explains the importance of improving consumers’ understanding of these products’ limitations and stresses the need for certified solutions to reduce PFAS:
“The EPA regulations can be daunting and even out of reach given they are to be met by local municipalities. We have a responsibility to help simplify the issue and ensure solutions are within reach. Our experts test and discuss results with you so we can address it with solutions to ensure clean, safe water in your home."
“The right solutions should be certified to reduce PFAS by established, third-party organizations, which is why we actively work with accrediting bodies across non-profits and government agencies, doing the complicated work for consumers before we bring products to their homes.”
Public health organizations play a crucial role in educating consumers about the capabilities of different filtration methods, especially concerning PFAS removal.
“The new EPA regulations are a big step forward for public health and water safety as they did effectively bring awareness to the current ‘forever chemicals’ situation in America. Despite a big step forward, there is still a gap in understanding across almost 150,000 public drinking water systems in the U.S."
Larned estimates that 6-10% of these systems will have to take action to meet the new standards, impacting nearly half of Americans. He hopes the public can more readily understand the larger testing efforts, progress to reduce PFAS, and the importance of all actions.
With 78% of parents concerned about water safety and only 23% having tested for PFAS, tailored approaches are needed to encourage parents to prioritize and act on water testing and treatment.
“Empowering parents with available options to test and address water quality is the critical first step to ensure they have peace of mind in the water their family has at home.”
Millennials and Gen Z show higher levels of concern and action towards water safety than Boomers and Gen X. Larned discusses effective educational tools or programs for older generations:
“The generational disparity between levels of concern and action is interesting, but the work to educate remains the consistent connective element in our work. Testing is key for all, and educating such varying audiences will require working across various channels to showcase the importance of understanding, the easy ways to act, and the confidence you can have in your water.”
Strategies must be employed to promote intergenerational learning to address the disparity in water testing for PFAS across generations.
“Understanding why testing matters is the strongest starting point, no matter the generation. This allows us to be more targeted in education as we can reflect people’s values and needs more readily. For example, Gen Z may be keener to identify sustainable options whereas Boomers seek more health benefits. And instant access to clean, safe water can address both!”
Culligan aims to simplify the path to a solution, ensuring that all consumers feel heard and understood.
"We want all consumers to feel heard and understood and importantly, we want them to have confidence in us as a partner who can help them solve this issue swiftly. The simpler we can make the path to a solution, the easier it is for any generation to take action.”
