PFAS Found In Steam Condensate From Power Plant Cooling Towers

Testing near power plants showed that PFAS chemicals are present in cooling tower condensate

Tuesday, October 7, 2025 - New environmental data shows that industrial cooling towers, which have been used for a long time to control heat in power generation, may also be quietly leaking PFAS into the environment. Recent research has shown that steam condensate, which is the water that collects when vapor cools in huge power plant towers, has detectable levels of per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS). These "forever chemicals" that don't go away probably come from industrial activities that use anti-corrosion coatings, lubricants, and sealants. Once the condensate is drained, it usually goes into municipal sewers or neighboring retention ponds, which then transmit the pollutants straight into local water systems. A lot of plants use this water again in the cooling process or let it go under old discharge permits that didn't take PFAS into account. People who live near industrial corridors have started to worry about how this secret source can make already complicated contamination problems even worse. Health advocates believe these findings show how PFAS has gotten into almost every industrial activity that uses water. They also worry that older facilities, built before the chemicals were controlled, could potentially be making the situation worse. People who live in areas that have been affected are worried about the long-term cancer risk from PFAS water contamination. Some have talked to a PFAS water contamination lawyer to find out if utilities or plant operators could be responsible for the costs of cleaning up the mess.

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) says that PFAS can survive very high and low temperatures and chemical reactions. This is why they stay in power systems in both liquid and vapor forms. PFAS chemicals can hitch a ride on small droplets when water vapor condenses in cooling towers or steam condensers. These droplets then settle into collection basins or drainage lines. People typically reuse the condensate without treating it or letting it go under normal wastewater permits since it seems clean and stable chemically. When plants take water from or dump water into rivers that are used for drinking water, this provides a circular channel for contamination. As early testing show comparable results at manufacturing and waste-to-energy plants, regulators are now looking into how big the problem might be. Environmental groups say that managing cooling towers should be part of the national PFAS mitigation strategy. They stress the necessity for new discharge permits that include testing and treatment for PFAS. Utility managers know that adding advanced filtration or activated carbon systems to cooling operations that use a lot of water will be expensive, but most people believe that it's cheaper to stop contamination before it happens than to clean it up after it happens. The problem also shows how old infrastructure established decades ago still affects water safety today in ways that have only recently become clear.

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