A new kind of water crisis has been quietly unfolding. Not one driven by visible pollution or aging pipes, but by microscopic chemicals that refuse to disappear.
PFAS, or per- and polyfluoroalkyl compounds have earned a troubling nickname: “forever chemicals.” For utilities, regulators and residents alike, they represent one of the most complex environmental challenges of the modern era.
What are PFAS?
PFAS are a group of thousands of synthetic chemicals developed for their ability to resist heat, water, oil, and stains and improve consumer products They quickly became embedded in everyday life, used in:
- food packaging
- nonstick cookware
- waterproof clothing
- firefighting foams
- industrial manufacturing
For much of the 20th century, PFAS were viewed as a technological success story. They solved real, everyday problems in ways no other materials could. When Teflon was introduced commercially in 1938, it transformed cooking. Instead of food sticking to metal pans, surfaces became slick and easy to clean. The same chemistry quickly spread beyond the kitchen. Raincoats that actually repelled water, carpets that resisted stains, fast-food wrappers that didn’t soak through with grease. In each case, PFAS were solving a practical problem that had long frustrated consumers and industry.
Video caption: PFAS, or “forever chemicals,” are found in everyday products, raising growing concerns about long-term environmental and health impacts.
A slow discovery decades in the making
It was not until the late 1990s and early 2000s that scientists began to understand that there was a problem. PFAS were showing up in human blood samples and produce, even organically grown produce. Contamination was being detected in remote areas, far from industrial sites.
What makes PFAS useful is also what makes them dangerous. Their chemical structure, built around extremely strong carbon-fluorine bonds, means they do not naturally break down. Once released, they persist in soil and water for decades. PFAS chemicals move easily through groundwater and into drinking water supplies.
New Jersey officials began studying PFAS in 2006, before it had become a national issue or household term. There were no federal drinking water standards, limited public awareness and only emerging science around health risks.
The New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection and the New Jersey Drinking Water Quality Institute, a scientific advisory group, began statewide testing of public water systems in 2006, followed by additional rounds of monitoring in 2009 and 2010.
This early testing established three things:
- PFAS contamination was present in New Jersey water systems
- it was not isolated to one region or source
- existing treatment systems were not removing it
Rather than waiting for federal action, New Jersey began developing its own health-based limits. The Drinking Water Quality Institute issued a series of formal recommendations for maximum contaminant levels (MCLs) from 2015-2018. In 2018, New Jersey became the first state in the nation to adopt a legally enforceable drinking water standard for a PFAS compound.
Transparency became a cornerstone of progress. Residents can now access PFAS data for their local water systems, a step that has increased public awareness and pressure for action.
In 2020, New Jersey expanded its regulatory framework by establishing enforceable limits for PFOA and PFOS, less familiar but just as persistent compounds. These were among the strictest drinking water standards anywhere in the country.
Unlike federal guidance, which was still largely advisory, these limits carried real requirements. Mandatory water quality tests followed by public notification when levels were exceeded and required treatment upgrades to bring systems into compliance. The state also expanded its regulatory reach by requiring PFAS testing for private wells during property sales and setting groundwater quality standards.
On a larger scale, PFAS were added to the state’s list of hazardous substances. This allowed for discharge limits for industrial facilities under the Spill Compensation and Control Act. Those who did not comply could now be required to clean up contaminated sites. It also tied PFAS directly into New Jersey’s long-standing “polluter pays” law.
The state expanded that authority even further in June 2025, when it updated its rules to include more than 200 PFAS compounds under the hazardous substance designation. That move significantly broadened liability beyond just a few well-known chemicals and made it easier for regulators to pursue enforcement across a wider range of contamination cases.
Are PFAS and “microplastics” the same thing?
PFAS, often called “forever chemicals,” are distinct from microplastics. Microplastics are tiny solid bits of plastic. Think broken-down bottle fragments or laundry lint under 5 millimeters. They can float in water or get eaten by fish.
PFAS are invisible chemical compounds. They are used in things like non-stick pans and waterproof clothes. They are prized for their stain resistance but notorious for never breaking down.
Understanding this difference is key to tackling them. Curb plastic waste for microplastics. Phase out PFAS in manufacturing products to eliminate forever chemicals.
Measurable progress
With legal authority in place, New Jersey began pursuing manufacturers tied to PFAS contamination. In 2025, chemical manufacturer 3M agreed to pay up to $450 million to resolve lawsuits over natural resource contamination stemming from PFAS. The company also announced it would end PFAS manufacturing by the end of 2025. “This agreement is another important step toward reducing risk and uncertainty on these legacy issues, allowing 3M to focus on its strategic priorities,” the company said.
There is evidence that these regulations are working. A recent study of New Jersey water systems found significant declines in PFAS levels following the adoption of state standards.
- PFOA levels dropped by more than 50 percent
- PFAS levels dropped by about 12 percent
- The number of samples exceeding limits fell sharply, with models projecting continued declines
It is a rare outcome to see swift progress in environmental policy, where improvements often take decades to materialize. While the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency did not finalize national drinking water standards for PFAS until 2024, New Jersey had already completed years of testing, built a legal framework for enforcement and required treatment upgrades.
New Jersey is not known for bureaucratic efficiency. The state carries a well-earned reputation for dense regulation, long permitting timelines and a business climate that can feel constrained by layers of oversight. For contractors, developers and employers, the system can be frustrating and create a barrier to growth.
But PFAS tells a different story.
In this case, the same regulatory structure that can slow projects down became an asset. State agencies had the authority to act, the scientific backing to justify it and the legal tools to enforce it. Instead of waiting for federal direction, New Jersey moved early, set its own standards and required compliance.
The result is a clear example of regulation working as intended. Residents gained earlier protection from a widespread contaminant. Water systems were pushed to modernize. Polluters were held financially accountable.
It does not erase the broader debate around balancing regulation and economic growth. But it does show that when a risk is clearly defined and the public health stakes are high, a strong regulatory framework can deliver results and set the pace for the rest of the country.
Sources:
Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry. (2021). Toxicological profile for perfluoroalkyls.
https://www.atsdr.cdc.gov/pfas/index.html
Associated Press. (2023). 3M reaches settlement with New Jersey over PFAS contamination.
https://apnews.com
Hu, X. C., Andrews, D. Q., Lindstrom, A. B., Bruton, T. A., Schaider, L. A., Grandjean, P., Lohmann, R., Carignan, C. C., Blum, A., Balan, S. A., Higgins, C. P., & Sunderland, E. M. (2016). Detection of poly- and perfluoroalkyl substances (PFASs) in U.S. drinking water linked to industrial sites, military fire training areas and wastewater treatment plants. Environmental Science & Technology Letters, 3(10), 344–350.
https://doi.org/10.1021/acs.estlett.6b00260
New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection. (n.d.). PFAS: Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances.
https://dep.nj.gov/pfas/about/
New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection. (2020). New Jersey adds PFOS and PFOA to list of hazardous substances.
https://dep.nj.gov
New Jersey Drinking Water Quality Institute. (2018). Maximum contaminant level recommendations for PFAS.
https://www.nj.gov/dep/watersupply/dwqi/New Jersey PFAS Research and Policy Institute. (n.d.). PFAS regulation in New Jersey.
https://njpfas.org/regulations-policy/pfas-regulation-in-new-jersey/
