PFOA in Connecticut Drinking Water
By Alexander Snyder, Founder & Water Quality Data Lead
The EPA legal limit (MCL) for PFOA is 4 ppt, but the health-protective reference published by California OEHHA is 0.007 ppt. That health reference is roughly 571x stricter than the legal value.
PFOA is listed in preserved public-system records associated with 78 Connecticut ZIP codes. This page summarizes record coverage and governed reference values. It does not establish that pfoa is present at a property, identify its serving utility, or determine exposure, safety, or health risk.
What Is PFOA?
PFOA is a member of the PFAS family used in many consumer and industrial applications. It is persistent in the environment and accumulates in people; OEHHA's health goal is based on kidney cancer in humans.
Review PFOA Records Near You
Enter a Connecticut ZIP code to review associated public-system or regional monitoring records. The lookup does not identify the serving utility or measure a property.
Check Your ZIP CodeHealth Effects of PFOA
- Cancer
- Immune Effects
- Fetal And Child-development Effects
These are source-classified outcomes in the exact OEHHA release, not a diagnosis, exposure determination, or finding about a property. See the cited reference below.
Safety Guidelines
Health Guideline
0.007 ppt
Source: California OEHHA
Legal Limit (MCL)
4 ppt
EPA Maximum Contaminant Level
PFOA's health-protective reference is roughly 571x stricter than the legal limit (MCL).
| Standard | Level | Source |
|---|---|---|
| EPA legal limit (MCL) | 4 ppt | EPA — legal/regulatory context |
| Health-protective reference | 0.007 ppt | California OEHHA |
| Gap | ~571x stricter than legal | |
How to Reduce PFOA in Your Water
The reviewed certification sources include an exact PFOA reduction claim under NSF/ANSI 53 or NSF/ANSI 58. Certification is product- and claim-specific; the standard number alone does not prove that a product reduces pfoa.
- 1Confirm the analyte and concentration at the relevant tap or well with a certified laboratory before choosing treatment; a ZIP-associated record is not a property result.
- 2Choose a specific current product whose independent certification listing and performance data sheet explicitly name the exact reduction claim. A standard number by itself is not an analyte claim.
- 3Follow the certified product's inlet conditions, installation, service-life, and replacement instructions, then retest treated water to verify performance at the property.
A PFOA reduction certification does not by itself prove that treated water reaches the lower EWG/OEHHA health reference shown by CheckYourTap.
Certification verifies a named reduction claim under defined test conditions; it does not certify that every installation reaches CheckYourTap's EWG/OEHHA health reference.
Who May Need Closer Review?
The governed OEHHA release classifies the following household groups as priorities for pfoa context. This classification does not lower or multiply the cited reference and does not determine anyone's exposure.
Confirm the serving utility and use a certified property sample before making a health, exposure, or treatment decision.
Reading this inside ChatGPT or Claude?
This page can explain the general science about PFOA records associated with a ZIP, but it cannot identify what is at a specific tap or property. You can get ZIP-level context two ways:
- Inside the chat: ask your assistant to “check my tap water with CheckYourTap”. Our connector returns available public-system or regional monitoring records associated with your ZIP. It does not identify your serving utility or test your tap, well, or property. The current connector is read-only and does not email reports or submit contact information.
- On the web: open CheckYourTap.com and enter your ZIP code for a free ZIP-level report.
Need to confirm PFOA at a property?
A certified sample from the relevant tap or well can establish whether pfoa is present before any health, filtration, or treatment decision.
CheckYourTap is an independent water-quality service, not your town or utility. We connect you with a vetted local partner. Your online report is free. Testing and treatment are paid services, and there's no cost to talk.
Have a dog or cat?
Read the source-linked veterinary context for PFOA. These pages do not turn a human guideline into a pet-safe number or claim that a ZIP record describes your pet's water.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is PFOA in my tap water?▾
What treatment guidance is released for PFOA?▾
What reference values are shown for PFOA?▾
Related Contaminants
Check Water Quality by ZIP Code
Sources
The exact released health reference and the reviewed sources for this definition are listed below:
About This Report
This page restores the preserved Connecticut route and historical public-record catalog. It does not publish the catalog’s old percentages or promote its stored threshold fields. Exact released health references come from EWG or California OEHHA; EPA material is legal, regulatory, and source context. CheckYourTap is an independent water-quality service funded by Valiant Energy Solutions, a Connecticut water quality and energy services company established in 1930.
This report is general information, not medical advice or a substitute for certified laboratory testing. Talk to your pediatrician or physician about specific health concerns.
Unmatched analytes remain visible without a numeric health verdict. Last reviewed August 2026.