Children age five and younger, and women who are pregnant, planning to become pregnant or breastfeeding, are more susceptible to health impacts from commonly called “forever chemicals,” which have been found so far in unhealthy levels in one neighborhood water system in Routt County.

These forever or PFAS chemicals — with the scientific names perfluoroalkyl and polyfluoroalkyl substances — are manmade chemicals that do not break down and are used in thousands of consumer and industrial products.

“Most people living in the United States have some amount of these chemicals in their blood,” according to the Colorado Department of Public Health & Environment. “People in communities that have been contaminated by PFAS — through water or other sources — are more likely to have health impacts.”

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PFAS are a category of chemicals used since the 1940s to repel oil and water and resist heat, and are used in everything from firefighting foam to stain-resistant carpet and clothing, according to the CDPHE informational website “PFAS and your health” at https://cdphe.colorado.gov/pfas-health.

Sleepy Bear mobile home park, located along U.S. Highway 40 on the western edge of Steamboat Springs, has recorded PFAS levels in the neighborhood water system that are higher than health advisory and national drinking water standards. The mobile home park is not part of the city water system and uses a well water system, according to the local park manager.

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Consumer drinking water testing for Sleepy Bear showed 9.2 parts per trillion of PFOA, which is more than double the newly released legally enforceable standards set by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. The EPA limits PFOA and PFOS drinking water standards to four parts per trillion.

The CDPHE, which issues water system permits in the state, advised Sleepy Bear residents to “consider taking action to reduce your exposure.” Since the EPA previously issued a health advisory in June 2022, Sleepy Bear voluntarily participated in a proactive testing program for PFAS water sampling in June 2023.

Sleepy Bear contracted water operator Ron Krueger, owner of Crystal Clear Water Treatment in Lakewood, said Thursday he is awaiting direction from the CDPHE for next steps.

State officials advise Sleepy Bear residents to use alternate sources of water for drinking, cooking, preparing infant formula and, if possible, watering a produce garden. Boiling, freezing or letting water stand do not reduce PFAS levels, experts note.

At-home water filters that are certified to remove PFAS to non-detectable levels are recommended by the CDPHE, and some filter technology such as reverse osmosis or granular activated carbon can be effective at removing PFAS.

“If you are concerned about PFAS, you can reduce exposure by using at-home water filters or using an alternate source of water for drinking and cooking,” according to the CDPHE consumer drinking water notice for Sleepy Bear.

On Wednesday, the EPA finalized the first national drinking water standard to protect people from PFAS pollution. According to an EPA media release, this national standard is meant to protect communities from exposure to harmful PFAS that has been linked to “deadly cancers, impacts to the liver and heart, and immune and developmental damage to infants and children.”

A CDPHE status report on PFAS issued Tuesday noted that 29 out of 2,000 water treatment facilities in Colorado, including Sleepy Bear, exceed the national limits on the forever chemicals in drinking water supplies. The EPA rule sets limits for five individual PFAS, including PFOA, PFOS, PFNA, PFHxS and HFPO-DA, and sets a limit for mixtures of any two or more of four PFAS, including PFNA, PFHxS, PFBS and “GenX chemicals.”

Mount Werner Water & Sanitation District General Manager Frank Alfone said the district has been conducting voluntary PFAS testing that will continue throughout 2025. The most recent testing in February showed no detectable levels of PFAS in the city drinking water supply.

“We are in the process of sampling both at Fish Creek and Yampa well plants over the next two years,” Alfone said.

The EPA estimates that approximately 6-10% of the 66,000 public drinking water systems subject to this rule may have to take action to reduce PFAS to meet the new standards. All public water systems have three years to complete initial monitoring, and must inform the public of the level of PFAS measured in their drinking water. Where PFAS is found at levels that exceed EPA standards, systems must implement solutions to reduce PFAS in their drinking water within five years.   

“Drinking water contaminated with PFAS has plagued communities across this country for too long,” EPA Administrator Michael S. Regan noted.

The EPA will host a series of informational webinars on Tuesday, April 23 and April 30 to provide information to the public, communities and water utilities about the drinking water regulations. Information is available at EPA.gov/sdwa/and-polyfluoroalkyl-substances-pfas. Additionally, EPA has a nationwide Water Technical Assistance program to help small, rural and disadvantaged communities access federal resources.