The State of Ohio has started a statewide PFAS drinking water sampling and laboratory testing program. The testing is being conducted as part of Ohio’s PFAS Action Plan and will identify the concentrations of PFAS in Ohio’s 1,500 public water systems. As part of this sample collection and laboratory testing program, about 250 schools and daycares with their own public water systems are also being tested.

The Ohio EPA will provide analytical laboratory test results to public water systems and publish the data on Ohio’s PFAS website. Once a sample is collected, testing is anticipated to take several weeks due to the complex nature of analytical methods. 

The State of Michigan performed a similar PFAS testing program in 2018 for nearly 1,400 public water systems and 460 schools and daycares. PFAS concentrations were detected in drinking water at 58 schools and 60 public water systems, leading the state regulatory agency (EGLE) to conduct quarterly monitoring. 

As part of this program, Robinson Elementary in Grand Haven Area Public Schools, was found to have significantly high levels of PFAS in the drinking water from a well water source. As a result, the drinking water fountains were turned off at Robinson Elementary in Grand Haven and bottled water was brought in for staff and students. In February, a new water filtration system was installed at the elementary school. The filtration system is being tested and monitored for effectiveness before it will be used as a drinking water source for the students and staff.

PFAS exposure is linked to cancer, hypertension in pregnancy, thyroid disease, and other health problems. According to health officials, ingestion is the primary route of exposure concern.

Merit Laboratories is a leading national PFAS environmental laboratory, analyzing drinking water, soil, wastewater, groundwater, and other sample matrices, including biosolids and sludge. Analytical methods performed by Merit for PFAS include drinking water by EPA 533, EPA 537.1, and EPA 537 rev. 1.1 and soil, wastewater, groundwater, and surface water by ASTM D7979 with Isotopic Dilution.