PFAS-Contaminated Irrigation Water Puts The Safety Of Home-Grown Food At Risk

Tests demonstrate that PFAS-contaminated irrigation water is getting into crops, which raises food safety worries and makes people worry about the law and regulations

Sunday, June 15, 2025 - Environmental scientists and agricultural regulators have recently found that irrigation water is contaminated with per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS), which puts the safety of fruits and vegetables cultivated in the US at risk. PFAS are called "forever chemicals" because they don't break down in the environment. They are now being found not only in groundwater used to water crops, but also in the edible parts of plants themselves. Because of this, fruits and vegetables from the United States that were thought to be clean may now have small levels of hazardous chemicals that might cause cancer, mess with hormones, and weaken the immune system. Lawyer teams that deal with PFAS in drinking water are now also looking into agricultural exposure pathways. This means that food-related lawsuits could happen along with traditional water contamination claims. Tests demonstrate that crops watered with dirty water absorb these toxins through their roots, which is worrying for consumers, farmers, and food distributors. The effects are huge; they might expose millions of people to PFAS through a pathway that was thought to be less dangerous: eating fruits and vegetables grown with poisoned irrigation water. Experts say that the federal government's present agricultural rules don't include monitoring for PFAS. As more people learn about this, a PFAS water contamination lawsuit against government agencies or industrial polluters over PFAS in drinking water may soon be filed.

A 2025 report from the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) and the Environmental Working Group says that PFAS contamination has been found in hundreds of irrigation wells, especially in areas where industrial waste is known to be released or reused. This includes farming areas near airports, military bases, and factories where firefighting foam or industrial runoff is used to get into the water table. Scientists identified PFAS chemicals in lettuce, carrots, tomatoes, and strawberries. Some of the samples had levels that were higher than what the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) says is safe for drinking water. In April 2024, the EPA announced limits for six PFAS compounds that must be followed. However, there is no national guideline for PFAS in food or irrigation sources right now. Food safety advocates and public health experts have criticized this lack of regulation, saying that consumers are at risk because there are no set limits on agricultural water. Farms that use reclaimed or surface water, especially in places like California's Central Valley where water is scarce, may be unintentionally concentrating PFAS in their crops. Now, federal and state officials are talking about how to change food safety rules to deal with this new threat. Farmers who utilized water that was contaminated with PFAS without knowing it could be held responsible or lose access to the market, even if they obeyed the standards. Some farming groups are asking for money and help in testing irrigation sources and using safer methods in response. Legal experts say that as more polluted fields are found, litigation against both upstream polluters and water providers could become more common, especially if PFAS-contaminated food is related to consumer diseases or recalls.

More Recent Federal Government Water Contamination Lawsuit News:

• PFAS Found in U.S. Bottled Water Brands Even Though They Say They Are Clean | 6/15/2025
• Federal Housing Complexes Have Been Found To Have High Levels Of PFAS In Their Tap Water | 6/15/2025
• Older Fire Stations Designed Before 1990 Could Have Drains, Gear Lockers, and PFAS Floors | 5/20/2025
• Accidents Involving Firefighting Foam During Drills Blamed For Contaminating Municipal Water Systems With PFAS | 5/20/2025
• Insufficient Federal PFAS Health Monitoring Leaves Firefighters Ignorant Of Long-Term Cancer Risk | 5/20/2025
• Class Action Lawsuit Started On Behalf of Children Diagnosed with PFAS-Related Illnesses for Firefighters | 5/18/2025
• Runoff From Firefighting Foam Creates Environmental Risk In Nearby Streams and Aquifers | 5/18/2025
• PFAS Foam Ban Directs Fire Departments Towards Incomplete and Expensive Transitions | 5/18/2025
• PFAS Settlements Might Not Cover Complete Treatment Cost for Firefighter-Linked Cancer Clusters | 5/15/2025
• Nationwide Study Reveals PFAS Contamination in More than 60% of Fire Training Ponds | 5/15/2025
• Firehouse Kitchens and Dorms Might be Secondary PFAS Exposure Sites | 5/15/2025
• Rural Firefighters Sue Regarding Cancer Linked to Unchecked PFAS Foam Use | 5/13/2025
• Fire Station Soils Reveal Long-Term AFFF Leaching Into Groundwater | 5/13/2025
• Airport Crash Rescue Units Are Among the Most Heavily Exposed to Harmful Firefighting Chemicals | 5/13/2025
• Community Wells Close to Fire Training Ground Show Years of Unchecked PFAS Contamination | 4/21/2025
• Research Connects Increased Bladder Cancer Rates to Long-Term AFFF Exposure in Firefighters | 4/21/2025
• PFAS Contamination Lawsuits Target Fire Foam Manufacturers Over False Safety Claims | 4/21/2025
• New Blood Testing for Firefighters Might Indicate PFAS Exposure Background | 4/21/2025
• Insurance Companies Review Fire Department Coverage Using Legacy PFAS Foam | 4/21/2025
• Fire Academy Recruits Might Come Across Risky PFAS Levels During Training | 4/21/2025
• AFFF Foam and the Unspoken Risk at Fire Department Washing Stations | 4/20/2025
• Volunteer Firefighters Often Lack Protective Gear Against PFAS Exposure | 4/20/2025
• Retired Firefighters Demand Federal Payment for Cancer Cases Linked to PFAS | 4/20/2025
• Urban Firefighting Training Ground Named as PFAS Hotspot | 4/20/2025
• Practices for PFAS Foam Disposal Could Be Generating Secondary Water Contamination Risk | 4/20/2025
• Legacy PFAS Foam Supplies Create Unfair Risk for Volunteer Fire Departments | 4/20/2025
• How Climate Change Is Complicating PFAS Contamination | 3/15/2025
• Youngsters Consuming Contaminated School Water | 3/15/2025
• PFAS Are Still Legal Despite Their Known Hazards | 3/15/2025
• How successfully do home water filtration systems remove PFAS | 3/11/2025
• The American Military's Part in Efforts at PFAS Remedial Action | 3/11/2025
• Seafood Safety And PFAS In The Fishing Industry | 3/11/2025
• How PFAS Affects Fertility and Reproductive Health | 3/10/2025
• The Financial Cost Of PFAS Contamination Of Local Water Supplies | 3/10/2025
• Home Items Contributing to PFAS Water Contamination | 3/10/2025
• Effects of PFAS Contamination on Indigenous People | 3/9/2025
• Exposure to PFAS Chemicals And The Relationship to Autoimmune Diseases | 3/9/2025
• Landfills' Part in PFAS Contamination of Groundwater | 3/9/2025
• Firefighters Have Developed Cancer From Using Firefighting Foam | 11/21/2022
• Firefighters Have Developed Cancer From Using Firefighting Foam | 11/21/2022
• Part Two of Equipment Degreasers Containing Trichloroethylene Is At The Center Of The US Military's Water Contamination Crisis | 11/20/2022
• Equipment Degreasers Containing Trichloroethylene Is At The Center Of The US Military's Water Contamination Crisis Part One | 11/20/2022
• Tap Water Kidney Cancer Could Be Likely Caused By PFAS Chemical Contaminated | 11/17/2022
• Cancer Clusters May Occur Where PFAS Forever Chemical Are Manufacturered Or Used | 11/17/2022
• Newborn Babies Are Packed With PFAS Forever Chemicals | 11/14/2022
• California Sues 3M And Others For Water Contamination From Firefighting Foam | 11/13/2022
• PFAS Chemicals Found In Tap Water Of Communities Surrounding 400 Military Bases And Airports | 11/12/2022
• Burn Pits And Waste Disposal At Military Bases Contributed To Tap Water Pollution And Cancer | 11/8/2022
• Firefighting Foam Settlements Will Set A Precedent For PFAS Water Contamination Lawsuits In The Future | 10/31/2022
• The Clean Water Act Failed To Protect People From PFAS Forever Chemicals In Americas Waterways | 10/25/2022
• People With Cancer May Hold 3M And Others Financially Accountable For Causing Their Disease And Death | 10/23/2022
• PFAS Water Contamination May Be Greatest On And Near US Military Installations That Use Firefighting Foam | 10/13/2022
• EWG Reports Multiple Studies Have Found PFAS Chemicals In Umbilical Cord Blood of Newborn Babies | 10/3/2022
• PFAS Water Contamination May Have Contaminated Every Military Base That Used Firefighting Foam | 10/2/2022
• PFAS Chemicals Per- and Polyfluoroalkyl Substances In Childrens Clothing May Cause Cancer And Other Health Problems | 9/28/2022
• State Municipal Governments Must Tighten Water Safety Standards | 9/20/2022
• Water Contamination Is The Invisible Enemy At Military Bases | 9/20/2022
• PFAS Chemical Contamination Is Absolutely Everywhere Says A Prominent Environmental Chemist | 9/13/2022
• The US Air Force Identifies PFAS Chemicals From Firefighting Foam Contaminated Several Military Water Supplies | 9/12/2022
• The EPA Undertests and Underreports Levels of PFAS Forever Chemicals In Drinking Water | 8/1/2022
• Municipal Government Are On The Front Line In Fighting Local Tap Water Contamination | 7/27/2022
• PFAS Forever Chemical Are Not Diluted With Water And Leech Into The Nearest Water System Every Time It Rains | 7/17/2022
• Bottled Water Safety Is Getting The Attention of Lawmakers Looking to Reduce PFAS Forever Chemical In The Water Supply | 7/14/2022
• Passage of The Camp Lejeune Justice Act Could Take Months Longer Than Expected | 7/12/2022
• Most Marines And Civilians That Lived And Worked in The Area Are Unaware That Drinking Tap Water Caused Their Cancer | 7/9/2022
• Millions Who Lived On or Near Camp Lejeune And Other Military Bases Have Developed A Variety of Deadly Diseases | 7/6/2022
• A CDC Study Links Drinking Camp Lejeune Tap Water With Serious Birth Defects | 7/5/2022
• The EPA Has Lowered Its Tolerance For Acceptable Levels Of PFAS Forever Chemicals In Municipal Drinking Water To Nearly Zero | 6/27/2022
• Marine Combat Survivors Returned Home To Face A Silent But Deadly Enemy In Camp Lejeune Water Contamination | 6/23/2022
• The Camp Lejeune Justice Act Has Passed The Senate And Awaits The Signature of the President | 6/20/2022
• Massachusetts AG Sues 3M And Others For Destroying The Local Drinking Water Systems With PFAS Forever Chemicals | 6/16/2022
• 12 More Military Bases Show Elevated Levels Of PFAS Forever Chemicals | 6/15/2022
• Dry Cleaning Chemicals Are Likely Carcinogenic According To The WHO | 6/13/2022
• Water Contamination Legislation Should Be A Higher Priority Than Gun Control | 6/10/2022
• Cancer Clusters Expose Dry Cleaning Solution As A Potential Source Of Tap Water Contamination | 6/8/2022
• Farms Near The Nation's 400 Military Bases Are Raising Crops And Livestock That Are Contaminated With PFAS Forever Chemicals | 6/6/2022
• There Are Many Ways To Ingest Carcinogenic PFAS Forever Chemical Besides Drinking Tap Water | 6/2/2022
• Thousands of Children Died At Camp Lejeune From Leukemia Because Their Mother Drank Tap Water While Pregnant | 5/31/2022
• Camp Lejeune Marine Veterans, Civilian Employees, And Their Families Should Undergo Cancer Testing | 5/30/2022
• Efforts To Remediate Troubled Tap Water Near Air Force Bases Is Too Little Too Late | 5/29/2022
• The Honoring Our Pact Act Will Acknowledge That Latent Cancers Are Service Related | 5/26/2022
• Water Contamination at Camp Lejeune Caused Stillborn Baby Deaths And Other Child Deaths That Were Left Unrecorded | 5/25/2022
• Camp Lejeune Water Contamination Has Helped To Shed Light On A Global Health Catastrophy | 5/23/2022
• Military Veterans From Camp Lejeune May Now File Suit Against The Department of Defense For Causing Their Family Illnesses | 5/20/2022
• Florida Senator Rubio Alleges The Government Covered Up Their Camp Lejeune Water Contamination Crimes And Must Be Held Accountable In A Court of Law | 5/18/2022
• The US Congress Has Known Since 2010 That The Drinking Water At Camp Lejeune Was Killing Marines And Their Families | 5/17/2022
• Marines From Camp Lejeune That Have Lost Children To Cancer From Toxic Forever Chemical Exposure Are Due Their Day In Court | 5/16/2022
• A Camp Lejeune Cemetary Is Called Baby Heaven Because So Many Children Have Died From Toxic Drinking Water | 5/11/2022
• One By One Each State, Municipality, And Other Government Sub-divisions Are Suing The Manufacturers of PFAS Forever Chemicals | 5/10/2022
• Firefighters With Prostate Cancer Sue 3M And Others For Failing To Warn Them | 5/7/2022
• Children Of Military Service Members May Have Been Harmed The Most By PFAS Forever Chemicals | 5/5/2022
• The City Of Portsmouth Files Suit Against 3M and Others For Contaminating The Ohio River | 5/3/2022
• More Legislation Is On The Way That Will Compensate Military Veterans And Firefighters Who Have Developed Job-Related Illnesses | 4/27/2022
• Another Lawsuit Filed Against a Municipal Drinking Water Treatment Plant For Being Polluted With Forever Chemicals | 4/25/2022
• Lawmakers Address Toxic PFAS Forever Chemicals By Writing Legislation That Is Pending Becoming Law | 4/22/2022
• One Study Finds Carcinogenic PFAS Chemicals Bioaccumulate In Beef And Dairy Products | 4/21/2022
• A Local Dry Cleaning Company May Have Polluted the Camp Lejeune Water Treatment Facilities With PFAS Forever Chemicals | 4/19/2022
• Burn Pits Are Identified As A Source Of Military Installation Drinking Water Contamination | 4/18/2022
• Young Families Exposed To Toxic Chemicals Are Fighting Back | 4/15/2022
• Cancer Clusters Indicate PFAS Forever Chemical Contamination | 4/14/2022
• 98% Of Americans Test Positive For Toxic Levels of Forever Chemicals | 4/13/2022
• Lawsuits Seek Lump Sum Monetary Compensation For Cancer And Birth Defects From Drinking Contaminated Drinking Water | 4/11/2022
• Studies Conclude That Unborn Children Were Injured When Pregnant Mothers Drank Contaminated Tap Water | 4/8/2022
• 3M To Be Held Accountable For Selling Products That Contain Forever Chemicals Claiming They Were Safe | 4/4/2022
• 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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