PFAS Contamination Spreads When Old Pipe Coatings Are Used To Fix Water Mains

Aged pipe linings may be leaking PFAS into public drinking water supplies during maintenance work on aged water infrastructure

Wednesday, June 18, 2025 - There are new worries that regular maintenance of city water systems could be accidentally adding per- and polyfluoroalkyl compounds (PFAS) to public drinking water. Recent studies show that older water mains, especially those that were put in or lined in the last several decades, have coatings that include PFAS chemicals. When these old coatings are repaired or replaced, they can break down or come apart, letting PFAS particles into the water supply. PFAS are often called "forever chemicals" because they last so long. They are connected to a number of major health concerns, including certain cancers, thyroid problems, and developmental disorders. Experts say that unacknowledged PFAS exposure during repair work could become a bigger public health problem as U.S. cities work hard to upgrade old water infrastructure. As more cases of pollution come to light, communities that have been harmed are contacting PFAS in water contamination lawyer teams to look into filing water contamination lawsuits. Some people who live in the area and some city officials are already thinking about suing construction companies, pipe makers, or water authorities for not stopping or telling people about these new ways that PFAS can get into drinking water.

The American Water Works Association (AWWA) put out a technical bulletin in 2025 that said many water mains built between the 1950s and early 2000s had protective coatings that included PFAS-based compounds. These linings were meant to keep pipes from rusting and make them last longer, not to keep chemicals stable over time in modern stress conditions. When repair technicians cut, grind, or replace parts of a pipe, tiny PFAS particles may get loose and seep into the water. In 2024, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) made its PFAS drinking water guidelines stricter. Right now, there are no national rules about releasing PFAS while fixing water mains. This means that utilities may accidentally bring back pollutants even as they try to make infrastructure safer by updating it. Some states are now asking the EPA to give advice on how to deal with legacy-coated pipes and to pay for research into safer ways to fix them that don't discharge as many chemicals. Industry groups say that finding all the pipes that are at risk is hard because of archaic installation methods and poor records. Environmental health groups, on the other hand, say that ignoring these PFAS sources could make it harder for the country to lower public exposure. Several pilot studies are currently being conducted to see if special cutting tools, protective barriers, or chemical sealing procedures can safely keep PFAS contained during maintenance work. Legal experts say that utilities that make big pipe repairs could be held responsible if PFAS levels go up after the work is done, unless stronger safeguards are put in place. As more people in the US learn about the dangers of PFAS, there is increased public scrutiny of water infrastructure improvements. Lawsuits are expected to follow if contamination can be linked to repair work.

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