Temple Terrace schedules town halls after tests find PFAS above new EPA guidance

Councilmembers on Tuesday directed staff to hold public information sessions on recent water-quality results after residents raised health and safety concerns about PFAS, other contaminants and a limited coliform sample reported earlier.

The move followed public comments from multiple residents who said the city’s March testing showed elevated levels of “forever chemicals.” City staff said the samples prompted the city to hire a water-resources consultant and to pursue outside legal help to recover costs from chemical manufacturers.

The City Manager (name on record with the City) said the city’s March samples showed PFOA at 8.11 parts per trillion and PFOS at about 19.3–19.5 parts per trillion. "PFOA 8.11 parts per trillion; PFOS, it was 19.3 and 19.5 parts per trillion," the City Manager told the council. He said those results triggered a consultant study to recommend filtration and treatment options and a legal review to pursue compensation from chemical companies.

Why it matters: federal and state regulatory action on PFAS is changing. The manager summarized recent federal actions and timelines, saying the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s 2024 rules set maximum contaminant levels that water systems nationwide will need to address on…