Broward leaders want county water tested for 'forever chemicals'
FORT LAUDERDALE - Broward residents may soon have a clearer picture of what's in the water they drink.
Commissioners voted Tuesday to test the water at their two plants for PFAS contamination.
PFAS, commonly known as forever chemicals are on the radar for many communities nationwide after the EPA announced a proposal in March to regulate PFAS to be no more than four parts per trillion for water safety
Shannon Harrison who has lived in Broward for 20 years drinks nothing but tap water and doesn't think about pollutants.
"No never. should I?" he wondered.
The PFAS testing was the idea of commissioner Mark Bogen.
"Every day you and I drink water and we don't know whether it can cause harm," he tells CBS News Miami.
Bogen points to recent FIU scientists testing water and finding high levels of PFAS in Dania Beach that found high levels of PFAS in Dania Beach.
"This isn't just Dania and PFAS can cause cancer, disease and so many problems," he says.
During a discussion on the matter commissioners weighed in on the issue.
"It's in every product. It's in the sludge. You are gonna find it but what does it mean?" Asked commissioner Michael Udine.
"I think the public wants to know and they should know. we are here to make the tough decisions," said commissioner Hazelle Rogers.
After learning of the decision to test Shannon Harrison said he was glad decided to test the water at the two county treatment plants.
Shannon Harrison doesn't mind knowing "tap water isn't what it once was, so I'm in favor."
He said commissioners will decide in June what to do should PFAS levels are found to be unacceptable.