Arizona is set to receive $20 million in federal funding aimed at improving drinking water quality and addressing contamination from PFAS, a group of synthetic chemicals commonly known as “forever chemicals.”
The grant, awarded through the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, will support testing and treatment efforts in smaller and underserved communities where resources for water infrastructure improvements are often limited.
PFAS, or per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances, are widely used in consumer and industrial products, including nonstick cookware, waterproof fabrics and firefighting foam. Because the chemicals break down very slowly, they can persist in the environment for decades and accumulate in groundwater and surface water supplies.
According to EPA officials, PFAS contamination has become a growing concern nationwide as the substances have spread through water systems and other parts of the environment.
The Arizona funding comes from the EPA’s $1 billion Emerging Contaminants in Small or Disadvantaged Communities program, which was established through the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act. The initiative is designed to help communities identify and address emerging contaminants that may pose risks to public health.
State officials plan to use the grant to expand PFAS testing and help water providers install treatment systems where contamination has been detected. Data collected so far shows that more than 140 of the approximately 880 water systems tested in Arizona have recorded PFAS levels, representing roughly 15% of systems surveyed.
The funds will be administered through the Arizona Department of Environmental Quality and the Water Infrastructure Finance Authority of Arizona, which work together to support water utilities across the state.
One of the most common treatment methods involves granular activated carbon filtration, a technology that can capture PFAS compounds before they reach consumers. Similar filtration materials are used in many household water filters, though utility-scale systems operate on a much larger level.
Officials say the new funding will not only help remove contaminants from drinking water supplies but could also restore access to water sources that have been sidelined due to PFAS concerns, increasing the amount of usable water available to communities across Arizona.
