PFAS — per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances — are a class of more than 12,000 synthetic chemicals that have been manufactured and used in products ranging from nonstick cookware and stain-resistant fabrics to firefighting foam and food packaging. They earned the name "forever chemicals" because their carbon-fluorine bonds are among the strongest in organic chemistry, making them extraordinarily resistant to environmental breakdown. Once PFAS compounds enter a water supply, they persist indefinitely without intervention.
South Florida has a documented PFAS problem. Multiple South Florida water systems have detected PFAS compounds at levels that now exceed the EPA's 2024 national regulations. Understanding where these chemicals come from, what the health data shows, and what works to remove them from your drinking water is essential for every South Florida homeowner.
The Environmental Working Group (EWG) maintains a Tap Water Database that aggregates contamination data from utility-reported Consumer Confidence Reports and independent testing. EWG's analysis of South Florida water systems has identified PFAS contamination at levels exceeding EWG's health-based guidelines — which are substantially more stringent than EPA's historical advisory levels — in multiple Broward, Miami-Dade, and Palm Beach County systems.
The EPA's 2024 PFAS Rule — the first-ever federal drinking water regulation specifically addressing PFAS — established Maximum Contaminant Levels (MCLs) for six PFAS compounds:
The 4 ppt limit for PFOA and PFOS is the most stringent drinking water standard ever established by EPA. The agency set it at 4 ppt — rather than zero — because current analytical methods cannot reliably detect below that threshold, not because concentrations below 4 ppt are considered safe. The EPA has stated that there is no known "safe" level of PFOA or PFOS exposure.
EWG's own health-based guideline for PFOA and PFOS combined is 1 ppt — four times more stringent than the EPA's rule. EWG's analysis of utility-reported data found PFAS detections in numerous Florida water systems, with several South Florida utilities reporting levels that exceed EWG guidelines even when meeting the EPA standard.
South Florida's PFAS contamination is not random. It traces to specific, identifiable sources that have saturated the shallow Biscayne Aquifer with these persistent compounds over decades.
Aqueous Film Forming Foam (AFFF) — the firefighting foam used at military facilities for aircraft fire suppression — contains high concentrations of PFAS. The military used AFFF extensively from the 1960s through the 2000s with minimal environmental controls, and training exercises using live AFFF were routine.
South Florida has multiple military installations with documented AFFF histories:
Homestead Air Reserve Base (Miami-Dade County): Located in southwestern Miami-Dade County, Homestead ARB is one of the most significant PFAS point sources in South Florida. Decades of AFFF use during firefighting training contaminated the soil and groundwater surrounding the base. Given the Biscayne Aquifer's shallow, permeable nature, PFAS from Homestead ARB has migrated off-base into the regional groundwater system. Miami-Dade County Utilities has implemented monitoring and treatment upgrades at wellfields near the base in response to documented contamination.
Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood International Airport (Broward County): Commercial and military aviation facilities both historically used AFFF. FLL's decades of AFFF use, combined with its location within the Biscayne Aquifer recharge zone, has contributed to PFAS contamination in Broward County groundwater. The Broward County Aviation Department and environmental agencies have conducted investigations of PFAS contamination at and around the airport.
Palm Beach International Airport and General Aviation Facilities: Palm Beach County has additional aviation-related PFAS sources. The concentration of airports in the South Florida region — the region has more airports per square mile than almost anywhere in the country — means AFFF use has been a regionally widespread contamination source.
Western Palm Beach County and western Broward County include active agricultural operations where pesticides, fertilizers, and soil amendments have historically included PFAS-containing formulations. PFAS were used as surfactants in some pesticide and herbicide products and as components of paper-based food packaging used as mulch. Agricultural runoff reaching South Florida's canal network introduces PFAS to the surface water system that utilities draw from.
Industrial facilities, dry cleaners, and commercial operations that historically used PFAS-containing products have contributed to localized groundwater contamination across the urbanized South Florida landscape. Stormwater runoff carrying PFAS from roads, parking lots, and commercial areas reaches both surface canals and eventually the Biscayne Aquifer through infiltration.
The EPA's decision to set the PFAS MCL at 4 ppt — and EWG's more stringent 1 ppt guideline — is based on a substantial and growing body of health research:
Cancer: The National Toxicology Program has classified PFOA as "known to cause cancer in humans" based on human epidemiological data showing associations with kidney cancer and testicular cancer. PFOS is classified as "reasonably anticipated to cause cancer." These are not statistical anomalies — the evidence base is large enough that federal agencies have updated their classifications.
Immune system effects: Research has found that PFAS exposure in children is associated with reduced vaccine response — meaning children with higher PFAS blood levels produce fewer antibodies in response to vaccinations. The EPA has specifically cited immune effects as a basis for the 2024 regulation.
Thyroid disruption: PFAS compounds interfere with thyroid hormone function. Given the thyroid's role in metabolism, development, and virtually every system in the body, thyroid disruption has wide-ranging health implications.
Reproductive and developmental effects: PFAS exposure has been associated with reduced fertility, pregnancy-induced hypertension, and adverse birth outcomes including low birth weight. Developmental exposure during pregnancy and infancy is a particular concern because PFAS cross the placenta and accumulate in breast milk.
Cardiovascular effects: Elevated PFAS exposure is associated with elevated cholesterol levels and increased risk of cardiovascular disease.
Bioaccumulation: Unlike many environmental contaminants, PFAS bioaccumulate — they build up in human blood, tissues, and organs over time. Once ingested, PFAS are not rapidly excreted. The half-life of PFOS in human blood is approximately 5 years; PFOA's half-life is approximately 3.5 years. This means that ongoing exposure from drinking water compounds over time.
Here's the critical point for South Florida homeowners: standard water filters do not remove PFAS. This includes refrigerator filters, most pitcher filters, and standard activated carbon block systems.
The chemistry of PFAS removal requires a different mechanism. PFAS compounds are highly water-soluble and mobile — they don't bind readily to standard activated carbon surfaces at the concentrations found in drinking water. Standard carbon filtration, which works well for chlorine and many taste-and-odor compounds, is not certified for PFAS removal.
What actually works:
Reverse Osmosis (RO): RO uses a semi-permeable membrane with pore sizes small enough to reject PFAS molecules (which are relatively large for dissolved compounds). NSF International's testing of reverse osmosis systems has demonstrated greater than 95% reduction for PFOA and PFOS, with many systems achieving greater than 99% reduction. RO is the most effective and most affordable home-based technology for PFAS reduction and is NSF P473 certified for PFAS removal when the system includes appropriate membranes and carbon pre-filtration.
Activated Carbon at Very High Contact Time: Some large-scale granular activated carbon systems with very high contact times can achieve meaningful PFAS reduction. This is the basis for most utility-scale PFAS treatment systems being installed across South Florida. At a home scale, RO achieves better PFAS reduction at far less cost.
Ion Exchange: Certain ion exchange resins can selectively remove PFAS, and this technology is being deployed at utility scale in some South Florida systems. HydraGen uses certified RO technology rather than ion exchange for home applications because of its superior cost-effectiveness and broader contaminant removal spectrum.
NSF Standard P473 is the certification to look for on any system claiming PFAS removal. HydraGen's RO systems are certified under this standard.
HydraGen Essentials, founded by Seth Williams and Daniel, built our South Florida water treatment systems with full awareness of the region's PFAS challenge. We don't treat South Florida water as generic Florida water — the specific contamination profile from military base AFFF, airport operations, and agricultural sources in Broward, Miami-Dade, and Palm Beach Counties requires systems specifically designed for these conditions.
Our RO systems for PFAS removal:
Why the pre-filter matters: South Florida water uses chloramines, and RO membranes are not resistant to chloramine attack. Without proper pre-filtration using catalytic carbon (not standard carbon), chloramines degrade the RO membrane over time, reducing PFAS rejection efficiency and shortening membrane life. HydraGen's systems pair catalytic carbon pre-filtration with RO specifically because of South Florida's chloraminated supply.
NSF/WQA certification: All HydraGen systems carry NSF and WQA certification, and our installations come with a 10-year warranty. We want you to have documented proof that your system performs as claimed — especially for a contaminant as serious as PFAS.
If you're in Fort Lauderdale, Miami, or anywhere in South Florida's three-county area, schedule a free water test with HydraGen Essentials. We'll measure your PFAS risk level, hardness, chloramine load, and other parameters, and give you an honest assessment of what your water contains and what it takes to address it. PFAS aren't going away from South Florida's water supply on their own — reverse osmosis at the point of use is the most reliable protection you can implement today.
Schedule a free water test and get personalized recommendations for your home.
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