PFBA in drinking water
A short-chain PFAS. No federal limit.
Health: USGS screening level 6,000 ppt, based on EPA's 2022 IRIS assessment.
Across the US
From EPA's UCMR 5 testing, 2023–2025: every community system serving 3,300+ people and a sample of smaller ones.
Highest results
| Water system | People | Highest result |
|---|---|---|
| Saint Paul Park Water System | 5,427 | 1,700 ppt |
| Oakdale Water System | 30,144 | 1,270 ppt |
| Iowa American Water – Clinton District | 24,769 | 648 ppt |
| Newport Water System | 4,000 | 550 ppt |
| Woodbury Water System | 82,643 | 386 ppt |
| Hastings Water System | 23,222 | 380 ppt |
| Prescott Waterworks | 4,258 | 280 ppt |
| Illinois American Water – Lincoln | 15,200 | 233 ppt |
| Cottage Grove Water System | 42,760 | 220 ppt |
| South Saint Paul Water System | 20,664 | 168 ppt |
| Municipal Services Commission | 5,549 | 147 ppt |
| Lake Elmo Water System | 10,978 | 140 ppt |
| Oak Park Heights Water System | 4,776 | 130 ppt |
| City of Trinidad | 1,482 | 125 ppt |
| Brookhaven National Laboratory Water System | 3,500 | 123 ppt |
| Stillwater | 19,462 | 118 ppt |
| Inver Grove Heights Water System | 34,189 | 102 ppt |
| City of Brenham | 18,469 | 98.5 ppt |
| City of Cameron | 5,489 | 92 ppt |
| North Saint Paul Water System | 13,134 | 85.1 ppt |
| Galesburg Water System | 31,620 | 85 ppt |
| Ralls County Public Water Supply District 1 | 7,662 | 79.9 ppt |
| City of Airway Heights | 9,489 | 79.2 ppt |
| Artesian Water Company | 231,114 | 79.1 ppt |
| Argyle Water Supply Corporation | 12,720 | 77.2 ppt |
States with the most detections
- Texas: 547
- Illinois: 84
- California: 84
- Pennsylvania: 83
- Minnesota: 82
- Alabama: 81
- Florida: 77
- Ohio: 65
- New Jersey: 64
- North Carolina: 64
- Missouri: 53
- Oklahoma: 52
Sources
The limits, health goals and health effects on this page come from these EPA sources. The results come from EPA's monitoring data for each water system.
- EPA: Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) drinking water rule
- EPA: Fifth Unregulated Contaminant Monitoring Rule (UCMR 5)
- EPA: UCMR occurrence data (the test results)
This page summarizes public regulatory information. It is not medical advice. How we source and check this site.
Questions
What is the safe level of PFBA in drinking water?
There is no federal legal limit. USGS health-based screening level: 6,000 ppt.
How do I remove PFBA from tap water?
See the filter guidance on this page: look for a product certified for PFBA specifically, and check the claim in NSF's certified product listings.
Source: U.S. EPA drinking water records and PFAS testing (UCMR 5). How we read the data.