PFAS Found in Drinking Water Used in U.S. School Lunch Programs

PFAS has been detected in the water used to cook meals in schools raising additional health worries for kids

Monday, June 16, 2025 - More and more public schools in the United States are finding high amounts of per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) in their kitchen tap water. This has raised concerns about chemical exposure in federally funded lunch programs. Independent labs and state environmental agencies have looked into the food supplied to millions of schoolchildren and found that it may have been made with dirty water, which means that these kids may have been exposed to these harmful "forever chemicals." The results come out as the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) puts stronger national limits on PFAS in municipal water, although many localities are still not enforcing them. Many school districts utilize unfiltered tap water to cook, clean, and drink, especially those with older facilities or those near known contamination areas. The finding has caused a lot of anger among parent groups, health advocates, and PFAS in drinking water lawyer networks, who say that children and other vulnerable groups should be better protected from environmental contaminants. Some districts are now thinking about filing a PFAS in drinking water lawsuit to get money for cleaning up the water and keeping an eye on people's health over time. As people lose faith in school buildings, the problem is also making people rethink how schools deal with food safety in light of new chemical risks.

The U.S. Government Accountability Office (GAO) said in a report from 2025 that PFAS were identified in drinking water systems in more than 800 public schools, many of which get money from the federal government to help pay for meals. The EPA's new maximum contamination standards for important chemicals like PFOA and PFOS are 4 parts per trillion. In some circumstances, PFAS levels were higher than these values. These chemicals have been linked to cancer, endocrine disruption, and developmental abnormalities. Because of this, it's especially alarming that they are present in schools. PFAS contamination, on the other hand, is not visible, smells, or tastes like other food safety problems, and typically goes unnoticed unless tests are done. The USDA and Department of Education do not currently mandate schools to regularly check for PFAS in their kitchens. This means that school officials do not have clear instructions or the money to deal with the problem. Some states have given out emergency grants to pay for water testing and filtration systems, while others have asked Congress to provide schools with money to put in point-of-use water filters. Several schools have moved to bottled water for cooking and drinking fountains in the meantime, but the extra cost is too much for districts that don't have enough money. Advocates say that keeping kids away from chemicals shouldn't be a choice, and that school food safety rules should quickly adapt to include PFAS. Researchers are also looking into whether eating PFAS in school meals for a long time at low doses could cause health problems later in life.

More Recent Federal Government Water Contamination Lawsuit News:

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• Researchers Develop PFAS-Absorbing Filters Using Mushroom Mycelium | 6/16/2025
• PFAS-Contaminated Irrigation Water Puts The Safety Of Home-Grown Food At Risk | 6/15/2025
• Federal Housing Complexes Have Been Found To Have High Levels Of PFAS In Their Tap Water | 6/15/2025
• PFAS Found in U.S. Bottled Water Brands Even Though They Say They Are Clean | 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
• 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
• Class Action Lawsuit Started On Behalf of Children Diagnosed with PFAS-Related Illnesses for Firefighters | 5/18/2025
• Nationwide Study Reveals PFAS Contamination in More than 60% of Fire Training Ponds | 5/15/2025
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• PFAS Settlements Might Not Cover Complete Treatment Cost for Firefighter-Linked Cancer Clusters | 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
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• Insurance Companies Review Fire Department Coverage Using Legacy PFAS Foam | 4/21/2025
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• New Blood Testing for Firefighters Might Indicate PFAS Exposure Background | 4/21/2025
• PFAS Contamination Lawsuits Target Fire Foam Manufacturers Over False Safety Claims | 4/21/2025
• Legacy PFAS Foam Supplies Create Unfair Risk for Volunteer Fire Departments | 4/20/2025
• Practices for PFAS Foam Disposal Could Be Generating Secondary Water Contamination Risk | 4/20/2025
• Urban Firefighting Training Ground Named as PFAS Hotspot | 4/20/2025
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• PFAS Are Still Legal Despite Their Known Hazards | 3/15/2025
• Youngsters Consuming Contaminated School Water | 3/15/2025
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• The Financial Cost Of PFAS Contamination Of Local Water Supplies | 3/10/2025
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• 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
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• 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
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• Water Contamination Is The Invisible Enemy At Military Bases | 9/20/2022
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• 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
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• 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
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• 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
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• Marines From Camp Lejeune That Have Lost Children To Cancer From Toxic Forever Chemical Exposure Are Due Their Day In Court | 5/16/2022
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• One By One Each State, Municipality, And Other Government Sub-divisions Are Suing The Manufacturers of PFAS Forever Chemicals | 5/10/2022
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• 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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