For years, Long Island residents have been told their tap water is “safe.” But growing scientific evidence suggests that PFAS often called “forever chemicals” may pose serious long-term health risks, including an increased risk of certain cancers. Over a million people on Long Island are currently consuming water with PFAS levels exceeding the EPA’s recommended health advisory standards​.

What Are PFAS and How Did They End Up in Long Island’s Water?

PFAS (per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances) are a large group of man-made chemicals that have been used since the 1940s. They’re valued for being resistant to heat, water, and oil, which is exactly what makes them so persistent in the environment and the human body.

On Long Island, PFAS entered the groundwater through decades of industrial activity, firefighting foam use, and improper waste disposal. Because the island’s aquifer sits close to the surface and supplies nearly all drinking water, contaminants can spread easily and are extremely difficult to remove once introduced.

While PFAS exposure has been linked to several health concerns, one of the most alarming is its growing association with cancer.

The Scientific Link Between PFAS and Cancer

Over the past decade, PFAS has become a major focus of cancer research worldwide. Long-term exposure, even at relatively low levels, has been associated with increased cancer risk in multiple population studies.

The National Cancer Institute (NCI) identifies PFAS as an active area of cancer research, citing evidence that certain PFAS compounds are linked to cancer development, particularly when exposure occurs over many years through drinking water. IARC classified PFOA as carcinogenic to humans and PFOS as possibly carcinogenic, based on evidence linking exposure to several types of cancer.

These findings are particularly relevant for Long Island residents, where PFAS has been detected in groundwater and public water systems for years.

Cancers Linked to PFAS Exposure

National Cancer Institute (NCI) hasidentified several cancers that appear more frequently in populations with long-term PFAS exposure, especially through drinking water.

Kidney Cancer

Kidney cancer is one of the most consistently observed cancer types linked to PFAS exposure. Because PFAS circulate in the bloodstream and are filtered through the kidneys, long-term accumulation may increase cancer risk over time.

Testicular Cancer

Testicular cancer has been associated with exposure to PFOA, particularly in individuals with elevated PFAS levels in their blood.

Liver Cancer

PFAS tends to accumulate in the liver, where it may contribute to liver toxicity, chronic inflammation, and cellular changes that increase cancer risk.

Thyroid Cancer

PFAS can interfere with hormone regulation, including thyroid hormones, which may increase the risk of thyroid disease and thyroid cancer.

While PFAS exposure does not guarantee cancer development, the evidence shows a clear association between long-term exposure and increased risk, especially when exposure occurs daily through drinking water.

What Long Island Residents Can Do to Reduce PFAS Exposure

As federal and state agencies refine their approaches to PFAS regulation, water providers and residents on Long Island should continue to monitor developments and adjust accordingly. Simply PURE Water Filtration, Inc. is here to help, offering both free and paid water quality analyses to give you the best information about different contaminants lurking in Long Island water.

And when it comes to actually removing those contaminants, we have cutting-edge reverse osmosis technology. Reverse osmosis removes PFAS from water by using a semipermeable membrane with extremely small pores that trap PFAS molecules while allowing water molecules to pass through.

These systems are designed to effectively filter out PFAS and other nasty contaminants, ensuring that your water not only meets but exceeds safety standards. With Simply PURE Water Filtration, Inc., you can trust that your family is drinking clean, safe water right from your tap.

By taking these simple steps, you’ll not only improve your drinking water, but you’ll also make it more convenient, without needing to buy expensive bottled water on an ongoing basis! Follow us for more news on Long Island Water quality, and don’t forget to request a water quality analysis today.

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How PFAS Is Linked to Cancer on Long Island

About Simply PURE Water Filtration Services

Living in and serving the Long Island community, we strive to make sure everyone has access to clean, healthy water. We have the experience, knowledge, and industry-leading technology to provide clean water solutions for water impurities, contaminants, hard water, bad tasting/odors, well water, acidity & pH regulations.

Proud members of the WQA (Water Quality Association), and the EWQA (Eastern Water Quality Association), we adhere to strict guidelines and the WQA code of ethics. As a Pentair True Blue Partner and Authorized Distributor of Pentair Products, there’s nothing comparable to the performance, and efficiency of our whole house purification systems, water softeners, neutralizers, whole-house filters, and alkaline reverse osmosis systems for drinking in the convenience of your home.

NSF Water Filtration System
Pentair Water Filtration System

Our products are all NSF / ANSI certified, meeting the highest safety standards and quality performance. Providing our community with only the best experience of high quality water that’s Simply PURE from our family to yours!

Simply PURE utilizes accurate testing methods before and after system installation, as well as annual maintenance of all your water treatment equipment. Our Revolutionary Custom Built Water Treatment systems upon the completion of a Free In-Home Water Analysis, or an in-depth Comprehensive Water Analysis of your choice sent to our Certified Laboratory.

Customers Frequently Ask..

The answer to this question depends on which kind of drinking water you’re talking about. There are multiple agencies responsible for regulating water quality in the U.S., and there are some who are more critical about the way it’s handled.

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The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is in charge of overseeing the water that comes out of your tap. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) oversees and regulates the quality of bottled water.

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Individual states are responsible for regulating water that is bottled and sold within their borders. Finally, your municipality must make sure it is following federal and state standards regarding water quality.

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The EPA does not regulate private wells, and rules for testing differ from state to state. In many cases, it is the homeowner’s responsibility to make sure their well water is safe.

Certain things can affect the flavor, odor, and appearance of your tap water, not all of them are necessarily harmful.

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Many people with public water can taste the chlorine, although the most noticeable problems tend to come from private wells. Contaminants like sulfur can impact the smell, while iron will cause discoloration and staining.

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The overall amount of total dissolved solids (TDS) in your tap water will definitely affect the taste, smell, and appearance. While many of these issues are not serious concerns, they can certainly be a nuisance. Water filtration systems, including a high-efficiency water softener to reduce hardness, can provide solutions.

This process is called “reverse” osmosis because the pressure forces the water to flow in the reverse direction (from the concentrated solution to the dilute solution) to the flow direction (from the dilute to the concentrated) in the process of natural osmosis. RO removes ionized salts, colloids, and organic molecules down to a molecular weight of 100.

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You can get a whole-house RO, but more commonly, a point-of-use RO system would be on your countertop or installed under the sink. They’re great for treating water for cooking and drinking, but they don’t usually produce large amounts of treated water — more like 3 to 10 gallons a day. For that reason, typically people choose to install RO-treated faucets in the most popular areas of the home such as kitchens and bathrooms, as opposed to installing it for every drinking tap. Just like any other kind of filter technology, reverse osmosis systems require regular maintenance. That includes periodically replacing the unit’s prefilters, postfilters, and membrane modules.

Due to the media attention Flint, Michigan, received over its water crisis, a lot of people have questions about lead in public water systems around the U.S.

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Lead (as well as copper) typically enters the public supply by leaching into water from corroded fixtures and outdated plumbing. Homes built before 1986 will likely have plumbing with copper pipes using solder that may contain lead.

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Lead can cause serious negative health effects, especially in children. The challenge is that it is undetectable by human senses. You can check with your local water authority for information about lead levels, but it’s important to note that the CDC and EPA say there’s no level of lead recognized as safe for consumption.

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If you have concerns about the presence of lead in your water, you can have it tested in a state-certified laboratory. You can also read more in our article on lead in drinking water.

Softening hard water can mitigate many of its objectionable effects. Water softening can be done either at point of entry or point of use. One of the unique advantages offered by point-of-use water softening is the opportunity for homemakers to have either hard or soft water for drinking. This choice is not available if the water supply is softened municipally. Hardness minerals can be reduced in water to make it “softer” by using one of three basic means:

  • Chemical softening—lime softening, hot and cold; lime-soda softening
  • Membrane separation softening—Nano filtration
  • Cation exchange softening—inorganic, carbonaceous, or organic base exchangers
  • Softening water for home needs is done almost exclusively through the use of cation exchange.

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Customer Testimonials

"Absolutely amazing service from beginning to end. Trustworthy and reliable to work with. And the water taste!! It’s incredible the difference after we installed our water filtration system throughout our house. Also knowing my kids are drinking the purest of water is the biggest game changer. I would absolutely recommend Vinny and staff."

Randi Demetriou 

"We had a recent installation done by Vinny at Simply PURE and we couldn’t be happier. Vinny is reputable, reliable, efficient and the service is great. The water is so clean and tastes great, we don’t have to think twice about what is coming out of our faucet! Thank you Vinny!

Mike D.