Glacier Meltwater Is Polluting Reservoirs In The Western United States With PFAS

Contaminated glacier runoff is reaching into drinking water reservoirs and people worry more about PFAS chemicals in hard-to-reach highland areas

Thursday, August 14, 2025 - A new study of the environment has discovered that meltwater from glaciers in the western US possesses PFAS, which are per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances. This is scary because it reveals how widespread these "forever chemicals" have become. As glaciers melt because of climate change, they discharge snow and ice that flows into rivers and reservoirs where people drink. Researchers now think that some of this discharge has PFAS in amounts that can be found. This might have originated from long-range atmospheric transport through firefighting foam, pollutants from factories, or even things that people buy. The meltwater goes into enormous reservoirs that give water to towns and cities all around the area. Because of this, the pollution could affect public water supplies. A PFAS cancer lawyer who keeps an eye on new developments feels that these results could lead to additional litigation about PFAS in drinking water in the future, especially if local officials don't warn people or do anything to solve the problem. People regularly sue businesses or government agencies that are accused of releasing dangerous chemicals into the water supply without first testing or treating them. Finding PFAS in high-altitude areas that are otherwise "pristine" shows how far these chemicals may travel and how deeply they've seeped into the environment, even in places where people don't do much.

The U.S. Geological Survey claimed that scientists found PFAS in meltwater samples obtained from streams in the Rocky Mountains and Pacific Northwest that are fed by glaciers. PFAS were identified in very remote regions, which suggests that these chemicals may flow through the air and settle in snowpacks, even though the quantities were rather low. As snow melts and glaciers move away, PFAS chemicals that were formerly trapped in ice are now flowing downstream into drinking water systems. People are worried not only about the short-term health effects, but also about how PFAS will build up in reservoirs, aquatic life, and eventually, people. PFAS have been linked to cancer, hormone abnormalities, immune system disorders, and problems with how kids grow and develop. Not all water treatment plants can get rid of PFAS. Smaller ones that use traditional filtration methods have a harder time. Some western states are now watching glacier flow as part of their attempts to keep an eye on the water. Environmental groups want more money to be spent on better filtering technology and early warning systems. Lawyers say that these new findings could help make the case for national PFAS limitations in drinking water stronger. If contamination is found in municipal sources, it might possibly lead to more litigation around PFAS.

Finding PFAS in glacier runoff is a worrisome sign that chemical pollution can happen anywhere, even in mountains that are far away. We are learning that our previous ideas about isolated ecosystems being immune to pollution are no longer true. These "forever chemicals" are still spreading through water, air, and soil. In the next few years, businesses and governments that manufacture or don't control these pollutants will undoubtedly have to deal with more legal issues. We might also see increased federal monitoring programs, stricter water quality requirements, and more use of treatment technologies that are built particularly for PFAS.

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• Burn Pits Are Identified As A Source Of Military Installation Drinking Water Contamination | 4/18/2022
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• Cancer Clusters Indicate PFAS Forever Chemical Contamination | 4/14/2022
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• Studies Conclude That Unborn Children Were Injured When Pregnant Mothers Drank Contaminated Tap Water | 4/8/2022
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• Mothers That Drink Tap Water During Pregnancy Risk Having Children Born With Birth Defects | 3/30/2022
• Elsworth Air Force Base Is Attempting To Provide Free Clean Water To Local Residents Poisoned By PFAS Chemicals | 3/28/2022
• Military Veterans Are Protesting To Draw Attention To Toxic Burn Pits And The Carcinogenic Firefighting Foam Used To Extinguish The Fires | 3/25/2022
• The Closing Of Military Bases Exposed Toxic Burn Pits And Forever Chemicals in Firefighting Foam | 3/23/2022
• Politicians Agree Camp Lejeune Service Members And Their Families Deserve The Right To Sue The Federal Government | 3/22/2022
• Camp Lejeune Water Contamination Sickened Thousands Of Young Military Families With Terminal Illnesses | 3/21/2022
• Lawmakers Have More Evidence To Help Water Contamination Cancer Families Get Their Day In Court | 3/17/2022
• The Staggering Scope Of Firefighting Foam Water Contamination | 3/14/2022
• The EPA Allocates A Record Amount of Money To Fix Lead Drinking Water Pipes Servicing Low-Income Communities | 3/10/2022
• The EPA Allocates A Record Amount of Money To Fix Lead Drinking Water Pipes Servicing Low-Income Communities | 3/10/2022
• Children Living Near Military Bases and Firefighting Stations Could Be At Risk Of Developing Cancer From The Drinking Water | 3/7/2022
• Camp Lejeune Toxic Water Survivors Could Get Their Day In Court | 3/6/2022
• Camp Lejeune Justice Act Is One Step Closer To Becoming A Reality | 3/5/2022
• County Governments Are Suing 3M For Failing To Warn Them of Forever Chemicals In Firefighting Foam | 3/4/2022
• Veterans Who Love Their Country Gathered In Kentucky To Insist The Government Do The Right Thing | 3/3/2022
• Ground-Water Contamination At Military Installation Caused Cancer In Thousands of Veterans | 3/2/2022
• Private Homeowners and Renters Are Largely Unaware Of the Toxic Chemical That Contaminate Their Everyday Drinking Wellwater | 3/1/2022
• Individuals and Families Should Test The Drinking Water For Carcinogenic Chemical Contamination | 2/28/2022

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