PFAS Is In Ocean Water That Has Been Desalinated And Supplied To Coastal Towns

New experiments show that ocean desalination plants might not be able to get rid of all PFAS. This is bad news for individuals who drink water from the shore

Thursday, August 14, 2025 - Recent testing of drinking water from ocean desalination plants has found PFAS, which are per- and polyfluoroalkyl compounds. People who live near the ocean and depend on these plants for clean water are worried about this. People often think of desalination as a good backup when traditional freshwater supplies are under stress from drought or overuse. But this new finding makes things harder. Scientists say that desalination can get rid of salt and some other pollutants, but it might not be able to get rid of PFAS, especially the smaller, more mobile compounds. These "forever chemicals" don't break down easily and have been linked to health issues like cancer and problems with the immune system. Because of this, some people are asking for stricter rules around testing and filtering. According to a PFAS cancer lawyer, those who live in towns that depend on desalination may be entitled to join a PFAS drinking water lawsuit if they can establish that they were exposed to the chemicals through city systems. PFAS in ocean water undoubtedly comes from years of dumping things like firefighting foam, industrial trash, and household products all over the planet. Earth's water cycle has moved these items around and built them up. This global spread means that people who reside hundreds of miles from factories can be exposed just by turning on the tap.

The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) states that certain desalination plants have identified small but detectable amounts of PFAS in the water they treat. The government has said that it is tricky because most desalination technology wasn't originally made to get rid of man-made organic contaminants like PFAS. Standard reverse osmosis and thermal distillation alone don't get rid of these chemicals. Adding modern filtration systems can make costs go up a lot. This is a significant challenge for little coastal towns that are already having problems procuring water and paying for roads and other infrastructure. People who care about public health argue that utilizing desalinated water without dealing with PFAS risks could be dangerous for vulnerable groups, especially children and the elderly. Environmental groups want public reports to be more available and for all desalination plants to test for PFAS more often. Lawyers said that if PFAS is detected in treated seawater, it might lead to lawsuits against chemical corporations and public utilities that don't do enough to stop the contamination after it is confirmed. Some states are considering establishing new rules that would require utilities to test for PFAS in both the water they get from rivers, reservoirs, or the ocean and the water they make into drinking water. Finding PFAS in desalinated ocean water is a warning for everyone, including the people in control. Desalination is now a long-term alternative for many coastal locations, especially when droughts get worse.

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