By Tom Markland, The Journal
MARTINSBURG – For years, residents across the Eastern Panhandle have turned on their taps with little thought about what might be flowing through the pipes. But the recent detection of PFAS, synthetic “forever chemicals” that linger in water and soil, has raised new alarms about the safety of community drinking water supplies.
Polyfluoroalkyl substances, frequently shortened to PFAS, are a family of over 12,000 manmade chemicals used in many products for their water and stain-repellant properties. They have been used for decades in everything from nonstick pans and stain-resistant fabrics to firefighting foams and fast-food wrappers. Their carbon-fluorine bonds make them durable enough to resist breaking down in nature or the human body.
That persistence has turned their convenience into a crisis. Recent research has linked PFAS exposure to various cancers, reproductive and developmental harm, immune suppression and to metabolic disorders. Nearly every American now carries traces of PFAS in their blood.
They have been detected everywhere from Martinsburg’s drinking water supply, at the VA Medical Center and near Rocky Knoll Elementary School.