The world is basically on fire these days, and one of the harbingers of doom is the fact that so many people in such a developed country don’t have access to clean water.

And the thing is, this latest study says that applies to way more people than you might think.

In fact, according to the findings published by the USGS (United States Geological Survey), around 45% of all of the tap water in the States is laced with per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances.

Known as PFAS, these are toxic “forever chemicals” that basically linger indefinitely in the environment and in our bodies.

There are around 12,000 of the chemicals, all man-made, and though we might not entirely understand their effects on our health, the general thinking is that it’s not good.

Currently, PFAS are associated with serious health problems like cancer and reproductive issues, and linger in unassuming places like takeout containers, clothing, cosmetics, and toilet paper.

And, says VP at Environmental Working Group Scott Faber, tap water.

“Millions of people have been drinking a toxic forever chemical linked to cancer all their lives and are only discovering it today.”

This also causes concerns for the health of animals and the environment as a whole.

The study took place in more than 700 locations and spanned five years. People in urban areas face up to a 75% risk of PFAS exposure in their homes, compared to a 25% risk in rural areas.

Hot spots include the Great Plains, Great Lakes, Eastern Seaboard, and Central/Southern California.

The EPA did introduce some federal limits to PFAS in drinking water in early 2023, but they have yet to go into effect – and as lead author and USGS research chemist Kelly Smalling points out, the guidelines are also flawed.

This is mostly because 1 in 8 Americans get their drinking water from private wells, which are excluded from having to meet these federal limits.

Carmen Messerlian, a Harvard epidemiologist not involved in the study, believes the limits could be too little too late for a majority of folks.

“We need to regulate the companies that are producing these chemicals. By the time they hit our water, our food, our children’s mouths and our bodies, it really is too late.”

Some states have passed meaningful legislation related to PFAS, but in the meantime, at least this study gives people a big head’s up.

“We really hope that this study gives the average American some information about the quality of their drinking water.”

There are some good water filters out there that can help weed many, if not all, of these out of what you’re drinking every single day.

It sounds like it’s up to us to do that research and start using them, because the government isn’t going to be taking meaningful action anytime soon.