--- title: "US drinking water PFAS levels may be double reported amounts" publication: "MediaBias News" url: "https://mediabias.news/health/us-drinking-water-pfas-levels-may-be-double-reported-amounts" api: "https://mediabias.news/api/v1/stories/us-drinking-water-pfas-levels-may-be-double-reported-amounts" markdown: "https://mediabias.news/health/us-drinking-water-pfas-levels-may-be-double-reported-amounts.md" audio: "https://mediabias.news/api/audio/us-drinking-water-pfas-levels-may-be-double-reported-amounts" category: "Health" area: "United States" published: "2026-10-24T04:45:43.215Z" source_reported: "2026-10-23T22:07:03.809Z" updated: "2026-10-24T04:45:43.215Z" trust_score: 70 critic_score: 70 hype_score: 45 assessment_type: "coverage-and-source-reporting-analysis" fact_check_status: "not-performed" coverage_measured: "2026-10-24T04:30:25.918674+00:00" --- # US drinking water PFAS levels may be double reported amounts *New study uses computer models to estimate undercounted 'forever chemicals' in water systems.* **Scores for the source reporting** (0-100, assessing the original journalism this article was written from, not this write-up): - Trust 70 of 100, higher is better. The central claim is attributed to a named body (researchers) and corroborated by multiple independent outlets. - Craft 70 of 100, higher is better. The reporting clearly separates the study's findings from its limitations and quotes the lead author. - Hype 45 of 100, lower is better. The headline uses strong language like 'double' and 'vastly under-reporting' but is supported by the study's estimates. Scored by MediaBias News; method at https://mediabias.news/methodology. **The short version** - US drinking water could contain double the reported levels of PFAS, according to a new study. - Researchers used computer models to analyze EPA data on PFAS concentrations in community water systems. - Current reporting methods may capture only 44% of the average concentration of 25 PFAS chemicals. - The study's lead author stated the research examines how measurements are summarized, not that every below-limit result poses a health risk. US drinking water may contain twice the amount of PFAS, commonly known as 'forever chemicals', than is currently reported, a new study estimates. Researchers employed computer models to analyze data from the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) concerning PFAS concentrations in community water systems. The study suggests that current reporting practices, which often treat levels below minimum reporting thresholds as zero, capture only 44% of the average concentration of 25 specific PFAS chemicals. Under the Safe Drinking Water Act, public water systems are required by the EPA to monitor 29 PFAS chemicals. These substances are known for their persistence in the environment and have been linked to various health issues. The study's lead author, Gehendra Kharel of Texas Christian University, explained that the research focuses on how measurements are summarized and does not claim that every result below the reporting limit indicates a health risk. ## Disagreement on reporting methods The study, published in Cell Reports Sustainability, used computer models to estimate PFAS concentrations for records listed as below the minimum reporting level (MRL). Phys.org reported that the models generated 500 estimates for each below-limit value, which were then averaged. The study found that treating these below-limit results as zero meant that current reports captured only 44% of the estimated average concentration of 25 PFAS across 9,991 community water systems. The EPA has set legally enforceable limits for six PFAS, but the study's model estimated that the national average concentration for these six chemicals could be 5.2 nanograms per liter, compared to the reported average of 2.6 nanograms per liter when below-limit results are counted as zero. ## What the coverage left out None of the left-rated digests mention the specific journal in which the study was published, Cell Reports Sustainability. The right-rated digest does not mention the specific percentage of average concentration captured by current reporting methods (44%) or the number of PFAS chemicals analyzed (25). ## Who covered it Shares of the 6 covering outlets with a published leaning rating: - Left: 67% (4) - Centre: 16% (1) - Right: 17% (1) 0 of 6 covering outlets carried no usable leaning rating and were excluded from those percentages. Coverage measured 2026-10-24T04:30:25.918674+00:00. **Coverage watch:** developing. Checked 1 time; 0 checks found a material change. Most recently checked 2026-10-24T05:00:21.352Z. ## How the sides framed it ### Left - The left-rated reports led with the potential underestimation of PFAS levels in US drinking water. The Washington Post's headline stated that drinking water "may have much more 'forever chemicals' than EPA reports." Gizmodo's headline also highlighted that levels "may be more than twice as high as reported." The newlede.org digest noted that the study used computer modeling to estimate that EPA reports capture only 44% of the average combined concentration of 25 PFAS in US water systems. All three left-rated digests mentioned that current reporting methods could be creating a significant knowledge gap by only counting PFAS levels above minimum reporting thresholds. ### Centre - The centre-rated report from Phys.org led with the headline "US drinking water could contain double the reported PFAS levels, model estimates." The full report detailed how common ways of reporting PFAS could underestimate concentrations by as much as half. It explained that by counting levels below minimum reporting levels as zero, current reports capture only 44% of the average concentration of 25 PFAS. The report also included a quote from the study's first author, Gehendra Kharel, clarifying that the research examines how measurements are summarized and does not establish that every below-limit result poses a health risk. ### Right - The right-rated digest from dailymail.com stated in its headline that "US water may contain twice as many 'forever chemicals' as reported." The digest also mentioned that the study comes from researchers at Texas Christian University and suggests that drinking water in America may contain twice as many forever chemicals as health agencies report. ## Factuality profile of the covering outlets These are published factuality ratings of the outlets, not a verdict on whether this story or its claims are true. - high: 4 - veryHigh: 2 ## Verification scope This page compares coverage and scores the source reporting. It is not a ClaimReview verdict on whether the underlying event or claim is true. ## Original reporting this was written from - [The Washington Post](https://washingtonpost.com/climate-environment/2026/10/23/drinking-water-may-have-much-more-forever-chemicals-than-epa-reports) — Drinking water may have much more ‘forever chemicals’ than EPA reports - [dailymail.com](https://dailymail.com/health/article-16233203/us-drinking-water-forever-chemicals-pfas.html) — US water may contain twice as many 'forever chemicals' as reported - [thenewlede.org](https://thenewlede.org/2026/10/epa-could-be-vastly-under-reporting-pfas-levels-in-drinking-water-study-finds) — EPA could be vastly under-reporting PFAS levels in drinking water, study finds - [Gizmodo](https://gizmodo.com/forever-chemical-levels-in-us-drinking-water-may-be-more-than-twice-as-high-as-reported-2000829638) — Forever Chemical Levels in US Drinking Water May Be More Than Twice as High as Reported - [Phys.org](https://phys.org/news/2026-10-pfas.html) — US drinking water could contain double the reported PFAS levels, model estimates - [Inside Climate News](https://insideclimatenews.org/news/23102026/pfas-contamination-in-drinking-water-may-be-underestimated-new-study-suggests) — PFAS Contamination in Drinking Water May Be Underestimated, New Study ... ## Questions **How much more PFAS might be in US drinking water than reported?** A new study estimates that US drinking water could contain double the reported levels of PFAS. Researchers used computer models to analyze EPA data and found that current reporting methods may capture only 44% of the average concentration of 25 PFAS chemicals. **What are PFAS and why are they a concern?** PFAS, or per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances, are man-made chemicals known as 'forever chemicals' due to their persistence in the environment. Previous research has linked PFAS exposure to health issues including cancer, liver damage, and developmental problems in children. **Does the study claim all under-limit PFAS results are dangerous?** No, the study's lead author stated that the research examines how measurements are summarized and does not establish that every below-limit result poses a health risk. The focus is on how treating these results as zero affects the overall picture of PFAS occurrence. --- MediaBias News — https://mediabias.news. Reproduced from https://mediabias.news/health/us-drinking-water-pfas-levels-may-be-double-reported-amounts. 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