Kentucky Water Quality Standards
The water quality standards protect Kentucky waterways by setting limits on pollutants and by limiting the types of developments and pollution allowed in some “exceptional” waters. Every three years (triennial), the Kentucky Division of Water updates those standards to make them more current. The Division held a listening session in 2021 to solicit input on their proposed changes - you can see their presentation here.
KWA submitted detailed comments to the Division of Water - you can read them here.
Forever Chemicals, also known as PFAS
PFAS or forever chemicals are a growing concern for KWA and our members. Here is an extended version of the article we published in our Spring 2022 NewsStreams newsletter. You can see the full newsletter here. Public radio station WFPL has also summarized the issue in this story from June 21, 2022 that includes a quote from KWA.
On June 15, 2022, the US Environmental Protection Agency issued health advisories for four PFAS chemicals at levels much, much lower than previous health advisories. These health advisories are not enforceable standards, but EPA is planning to develop standards later in 2022. This press release summarizes the health advisories, proposed standards, and $5 billion of funding from the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law for states to address PFAS and other emerging contaminants in drinking water, specifically in small or disadvantaged communities. You can read more on EPA's PFAS program here.
The Ohio River Valley Water Sanitation Commission (ORSANCO) did a survey of ambient PFAS levels in the Ohio River in 2021. The report is available on their website. There is much information in the report and data tables. KWA is still reviewing the numbers, but we can say at this time that it is concerning that the report states "Every site had detections of multiple PFAS (majority of which were J-flagged, very low levels)." This means that at least one of the several PFAS compounds was present everywhere they sampled, in every 20-mile segment of the 981 miles of river between Pittsburgh and Cairo, IL. For two types of PFAS compounds (PFOS and PFOA), all samples found these chemicals in river water at levels much greater than the lifetime advisory limits for human health. Although those limits are for finished drinking water, the widespread presence in the source water is a problem to investigate.
There are many concerns about PFAS for human health and ecological health. People are most critically exposed through drinking water and that is where the health advisories apply. One of the largest drinking water systems on the Ohio River is Louisville Water Company. In their statement issued June 15, 2022, they said that they need to learn more. They plan to do more monitoring, investigate treatment techniques, and develop strategies to reduce PFAS levels in their finished drinking water to meet EPA standards. KWA is also concerned about the risk to anglers that consume fish and hunters that consume wild game, especially waterfowl. We want to learn more about the threats to wildlife as well and particularly threatened and endangered species such as mussels.
KWA will continue to track this issue and engage with scientists, regulators, elected officials, and the water treatment utilities. We will inform our members and urge action to keep working toward solutions to this health threat.
The water quality standards protect Kentucky waterways by setting limits on pollutants and by limiting the types of developments and pollution allowed in some “exceptional” waters. Every three years (triennial), the Kentucky Division of Water updates those standards to make them more current. The Division held a listening session in 2021 to solicit input on their proposed changes - you can see their presentation here.
KWA submitted detailed comments to the Division of Water - you can read them here.
Forever Chemicals, also known as PFAS
PFAS or forever chemicals are a growing concern for KWA and our members. Here is an extended version of the article we published in our Spring 2022 NewsStreams newsletter. You can see the full newsletter here. Public radio station WFPL has also summarized the issue in this story from June 21, 2022 that includes a quote from KWA.
On June 15, 2022, the US Environmental Protection Agency issued health advisories for four PFAS chemicals at levels much, much lower than previous health advisories. These health advisories are not enforceable standards, but EPA is planning to develop standards later in 2022. This press release summarizes the health advisories, proposed standards, and $5 billion of funding from the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law for states to address PFAS and other emerging contaminants in drinking water, specifically in small or disadvantaged communities. You can read more on EPA's PFAS program here.
The Ohio River Valley Water Sanitation Commission (ORSANCO) did a survey of ambient PFAS levels in the Ohio River in 2021. The report is available on their website. There is much information in the report and data tables. KWA is still reviewing the numbers, but we can say at this time that it is concerning that the report states "Every site had detections of multiple PFAS (majority of which were J-flagged, very low levels)." This means that at least one of the several PFAS compounds was present everywhere they sampled, in every 20-mile segment of the 981 miles of river between Pittsburgh and Cairo, IL. For two types of PFAS compounds (PFOS and PFOA), all samples found these chemicals in river water at levels much greater than the lifetime advisory limits for human health. Although those limits are for finished drinking water, the widespread presence in the source water is a problem to investigate.
There are many concerns about PFAS for human health and ecological health. People are most critically exposed through drinking water and that is where the health advisories apply. One of the largest drinking water systems on the Ohio River is Louisville Water Company. In their statement issued June 15, 2022, they said that they need to learn more. They plan to do more monitoring, investigate treatment techniques, and develop strategies to reduce PFAS levels in their finished drinking water to meet EPA standards. KWA is also concerned about the risk to anglers that consume fish and hunters that consume wild game, especially waterfowl. We want to learn more about the threats to wildlife as well and particularly threatened and endangered species such as mussels.
KWA will continue to track this issue and engage with scientists, regulators, elected officials, and the water treatment utilities. We will inform our members and urge action to keep working toward solutions to this health threat.