PFAS Sampling Results
The City of Vancouver provides information about PFAS sampling results to enable drinking water customers to stay informed. Visit Learn about PFAS for more information about actions the City is taking to keep your water safe and for steps you can take at home.
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency Final National Primary Drinking Water Regulation and PFAS Maximum Contaminant Level
In April 2024, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency announced the final National Primary Drinking Water Regulation (NPDWR) for six PFAS. This establishes legally enforceable levels, called Maximum Contaminant Levels (MCLs), for six PFAS in drinking water. Public water systems must monitor for these PFAS and provide information to community members. Public water systems will have five years (by 2029) to implement solutions to reduce these PFAS if monitoring shows that drinking water levels exceed the MCLs. Beginning in 2029, public water systems that have PFAS in drinking water exceeding the established MCLs must take action to reduce levels of PFAS in their drinking water.
Washington State Board of Health PFAS State Action Levels
In 2021, the Washington State Board of Health adopted State Action Levels (SALs) for five PFAS that set testing and notification requirements for some water providers, including Vancouver, starting in 2023.
Starting on January 15, 2026, the Washington State Board of Health adopted more strict SALs for PFAS detection to align with federal MCLs. Before the changes, going over the SAL was determined by a single detection. Exceeding the SAL is now based on the running annual average. Due to these changes, many of the City’s wellfields exceed the newly adopted standards and will be tested quarterly for PFAS.
SALs are set to protect human health and are based on the best available science at the time. PFAS chemicals are still being researched, and health advice is updated as new science becomes available. SALs are public health goals to protect all people, including sensitive groups and life stages, from the potential harmful effects of drinking water with PFAS over a lifetime.
If you have been drinking water over the State Action Level, it doesn’t mean you will get sick or have health problems from this exposure. Learn more at doh.wa.gov/pfas.
PFAS Finalized Federal Maximum Contaminant Levels/State Action Levels
| Types of PFAS | EPA Maximum Contaminant Level (Enforceable, requires treatment by 2029) and the Washington Department of Health State Action Level |
|---|---|
| PFOA | 4 ppt |
| PFOS | 4 ppt |
| PFNA | 10 ppt |
| PFHxS | 10 ppt |
| HFPO-DA (commonly referred to as GenX Chemicals2) | 10 ppt |
| Mixtures containing two or more of PFHxS, PFNA, HFPO-DA, and PFBS | Hazard index of 1* |
11 ppt (part per trillion) is equivalent to a single drop of water in 20 Olympic-sized swimming pools
2GenX chemicals are not on the Washington State Department of Health’s list of PFAS with State Action Levels
*The hazard index of 1 is the level at which no known health risk could be anticipated
City of Vancouver PFAS test results
Sampling results: May 2026
Below are the sampling results from the City’s water stations. Vancouver has an open system in which water can be transferred from almost any water station to different areas of the City. We are adjusting our operations and prioritizing the use of sources with lower levels of PFAS. However, due to the prevalence of PFAS in local groundwater, water rights limitations, and operational restrictions, we are unable to turn off all PFAS sources that exceed SALs and MCLs without impacting supply.
In compliance with WDOH’s PFAS monitoring requirements, Ellsworth requires compliance samples every three years, as historical sampling has consistently demonstrated results with no detection. Well 2 at Water Station 7 has also consistently demonstrated results with no detection and requires compliance samples annually. PFAS samples at Ellsworth and Well 2 at Water Station 7 were not collected this quarter and will not require any additional compliance samples in 2026.
Most recent PFOA sampling results: May 2026
ND = non detect
Results above MCLs and SALs are shown in bold below.
| City of Vancouver Water Station | PFOA Results (ppt*) | PFOS Results (ppt) | PFBS Results (ppt) | PFHxS Results (ppt) | PFNA Results (ppt) | HFPO-DA Results (ppt) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Water Station 1 | 3.2 | 5.4 | 4.3 | 5.1 | ND | ND |
| Water Station 3 | 2.8 | 5.5 | 5.5 | 5.5 | ND | ND |
| Water Station 4 | 7.5 | 17 | 5.4 | 5.6 | ND | ND |
| Water Station 7, Well 1 | ND | 4.5 | 2.3 | 3.8 | ND | ND |
| Water Station 8 | 6.0 | 12 | 5.7 | 2.5 | ND | ND |
| Water Station 9 | 5.7 | 12 | 6.7 | 3 | ND | ND |
| Water Station 14 | 9.4 | 17 | 9.9 | 4.4 | ND | ND |
| Water Station 15 | 4.8 | 14 | 6.5 | 4.4 | ND | ND |
| Ellsworth | ** | ** | ** | ** | ** | ** |
*ppt = parts per trillion (1 ppt is equivalent to a single drop of water in 20 Olympic-sized swimming pools)
**No new samples collected this quarter. This wellfield requires compliance sampling every three years.
