Could Reports of The ‘Forever Chemicals’ PFAS in Texas Water Supplies Affect Home Prices?

A new report from the Texas Tribune shows that several Texas water systems are contaminated with PFAS levels above newly released limits for the “forever chemicals.” The report named several North Texas water facilities with levels of PFAS that exceed limits deemed “safe” for consumption, including those serving affluent suburbs.

Sandwiched between Ridgeview Ranch Golf Course and The Golf Club at Twin Creeks is the Custer Pump Station that serves the Town of Prosper. According to the EPA data, a sample from the facility showed contamination with one of the chemicals classified as a PFAS — PFOS (perfluorooctane sulfonic acid) — at a concentration of 4.7 parts per trillion. The new EPA limit on the forever chemical is 4 parts per trillion.

With the detection of PFAS in public water supplies comes regulations. Water utilities with PFAS levels above limits considered “safe” must meet them within five years. According to the Tribune‘s report, the EPA estimates the new legally enforceable limits will reduce exposure to these harmful, cancer-causing chemicals for 100 million people.

Other North Texas areas where PFAS outside the EPA limits include Arlington, Cockrell Hill, Dallas, Duncanville, Farmers Branch, Flower Mound, Fort Worth, Grapevine, Greenville, Haltom City, Irving, and Lake Worth. However, those ranks will likely increase. The Tribune report notes that many municipalities and public utilities have not yet reported test findings.

Can Forever Chemicals Affect Housing Prices?

Before EPA standards on the forever chemicals were in place, reports surfaced in 2013 of significant levels of PFAS in several New Jersey drinking water systems. Residents of the state were shocked. In southwestern New Jersey, the town of Paulsboro had one well that registered unsafe levels of PFNA, which resulted in the state sending an advisory notice to residents. In the Courier Post report, PFAS were discovered four years prior to the release of the advisory, but consumers were not informed.

According to a Sept. 2023 working paper from the National Bureau of Economic Research, the discovery and widespread reporting of PFAS in New Jersey towns drastically impacted the desirability of the area.

“We find that housing prices decreased by about 42 percent in Paulsboro after the release of information about PFAS contamination in local drinking water supplies,” the paper stated. “Notably, the decreases in property values observed in Paulsboro were larger than the cost of installing a whole home filter, and we observe no rebound in property values after the contaminated source well was moved offline. This persistent and large decline in property values may reflect, in part, a lasting increase in public distrust and stigma associated with living there.”

In Dallas, one water facility was reported to contain levels of PFAS above the new EPA limits. We reached out to officials with Dallas Water Utilities for comment regarding the report, but have not yet heard back.

Removing PFAS From Your Water

If you’re concerned about PFAS chemicals in your home water supply, there are ways you can protect your household from contaminated water.

1. Activated Carbon Filters: Get a water filter with activated carbon. These filters can trap PFAS chemicals as water passes through them, effectively removing them from your drinking water.
2. Reverse Osmosis Systems: Consider installing a whole-home reverse osmosis water filtration system. This technology uses a semi-permeable membrane to filter out contaminants, including PFAS chemicals, leaving you with clean and safe drinking water.
3. Check Your Water Source: If you’re on a private well, consider getting your water tested. Knowing the level of contamination can help you choose the most effective method for removing PFAS from your drinking water.
4. Bottled Water: If you’re unable to install a filtration system at home, consider using bottled water that has been tested and certified to be free of PFAS chemicals.