Great Lakes Drinking Water Threatened by PFAS “Forever Chemicals,” Study Warns
PFAS Contamination: A Growing Concern for the Great Lakes
Recent studies reveal that PFAS “forever chemicals”, a group of persistent, human-made toxic substances are contaminating the Great Lakes and the St. Lawrence River, the world’s largest surface freshwater system. While past measurements suggested PFAS levels weren’t immediately alarming, health guidelines have become much stricter as research links PFAS to cancer, hormone disruption, reproductive issues, and more.
Health Canada
recently slashed the recommended limit for PFAS in drinking water from hundreds of nanograms per litre (ng/l) down to a combined 30 ng/l. Some Great Lakes sites, such as Lake Ontario’s Hamilton Harbour, now regularly approach or exceed these new thresholds—and scientists warn all five lakes are at risk as standards tighten.
Where Do PFAS Come From?
PFAS pollution in the Great Lakes comes mainly from dense urban, industrial activity and waste from factories, landfills, wastewater, and even consumer products like cosmetics and non-stick cookware. Once in the water, these chemicals don’t break down easily, instead spread downstream and accumulate for years.
Is the Water Safe?
Currently, most Great Lakes drinking water supplies meet national health limits, but conventional water treatment cannot remove most PFAS. Advanced technologies are crucial for addressing contamination. Puratech G400
is an innovative treatment media that has emerged as a top performer, offering rapid and highly effective removal of PFAS from water compared to old methods. Unlike standard granular activated carbon (GAC), Puratech G400 achieves superior results with much faster contact times and a significant reduction in the amount of treatment material required. This not only ensures cleaner, safer water but also supports large-scale, sustainable upgrades in water utilities facing persistent PFAS challenges.
Why the Worry?
Scientists warn that as research continues, safe PFAS limits are likely to drop further—meaning millions of Canadians and Americans could be affected. PFAS accumulate over time, and their concentrations are already highest near large cities and industrial areas, especially in Lake Ontario.
Looking Ahead: Prevention & Action
Experts stress that limiting PFAS at the source, by reducing industrial use and improving waste management, is crucial. Otherwise, the Great Lakes could repeat the persistent pollution seen with banned PCBs, which still impact the ecosystem decades later.
The PFAS threat to the Great Lakes is real, evolving, and requires coordinated action by governments, industries, and citizens.
Stay tuned to PFAS Pulse for updates on regulations, new water treatment tech, and what you can do to safeguard your health.
Puraffinity is pleased to announce that its G400+ adsorbent media has been certified to NSF/ANSI/CAN 61 and NSF/ANSI/CAN 372 standards for Point of Entry (POE) and Water Treatment Plant End Use applications The certifications confirm that G400+ meets the required health effects criteria for materials used in drinking water system components. This milestone enables Puraffinity to support installations where NSF-certified products are required, including municipal drinking water applications. “As a member of the American Water Works Association (AWWA), I see this certification as an important step for broader municipal adoption, ” said Neal Megonnell, Chief Commercial Officer at Puraffinity. “It enables utilities to deploy our technology where NSF compliance is required, and it strengthens our ability to scale PFAS treatment solutions while maintaining the highest standards of safety and performance.” Designed for highly effective PFAS removal with rapid kinetics, the advanced adsorbent media G400+ supports compact system design and efficient treatment across a wide range of water matrices. Building on this milestone, the company continues to advance water treatment solutions that help utilities and industry address PFAS compliance and protect drinking water quality.
Puraffinity partners with the U.S. Army ERDC to evaluate Puratech G400, an advanced adsorbent for PFAS removal, through lab and field trials comparing its performance and cost-effectiveness to existing PFAS treatment technologies
Puraffinity signs first commercial agreement for full-scale deployment of its PFAS removal technology
An exclusive panel featuring Puraffinity CEO Vincent Caillaud, who will join industry leaders to discuss cutting-edge solutions for combatting PFAS, “forever chemicals”, in drinking water. With PFAS contamination presenting urgent health challenges due to their extreme persistence, mobility, and health impacts at trace levels, this session will spotlight the realities of PFAS in water supplies, the latest science driving regulatory change, and the next generation of removal technologies.
WEFTEC 2025 is the world’s largest annual water quality conference and exhibition, held September 27–October 1, 2025, at McCormick Place in Chicago. It gathers over 20,000 water professionals from 100+ countries to explore cutting-edge water technologies, attend technical sessions and workshops, and network with sector leaders. The event features a massive exhibition of advanced solutions, educational opportunities, and speciality pavilions focused on topics like sustainability and digital innovation. Our CEO, Vincent Caillaud , and CCO, Neal Megonnell , will be in attendance.
In the Building World-Class Teams webinar series, Henrik Hagemann and Jessica Middlesmiss will be discussing how to Create Cultures that Scale