PORTLAND PRESS HERALD • August 23, 2022
More than a half dozen schools around the state will start the year with a new concern: so-called “forever chemicals” in their water supplies. State-mandated water testing found the chemicals known as PFAS in some schools at levels higher than the maximum of 20 parts per trillion in drinking water. Filters have been installed at most of the schools where the chemicals were detected, although some school districts are still developing plans for how to deal with the findings. In some cases, schools can switch their water supplies to address the problem. PFAS chemicals have been linked to compromised immune and cardiovascular systems, decreased fertility, low birth weights and several types of cancer.