50 years ago the Cuyahoga River caught on fire. Take a second and think about what that actually means. Water was on fire because of how many chemicals resided in the river. 

Fast forward 50 years to present day and the river is now being used for recreational use. It’s come a long way to becoming a clean body of water and it still has work to be done. 

I’m not sure if I would drink out of the river because of the health issues it could bring with it; but, is our drinking water any safer to drink?

On Friday, Governor Mike DeWine ordered officials to test drinking water across the state. Officials are testing to see if per- and polyfluoroalkyl (PFAS) substances are in our water we consume every day. 

According to the FDA, per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances are man-made chemicals that are in things such as pizza boxes, paint, firefighting foam and many other products. 

The man-made substances are known as “forever chemicals” because it is very difficult for the environment and human bodies to break it down. 

Governor DeWine and 14 other governors have already sent letters to Congress calling for more action regarding PFAS.

Denmark has already banned the use of package wrap that have PFAS in them starting next year. Many other countries are already in talks to lower the amount of levels allowed in drinking water when it comes to PFAS. 

DeWine gave state officials two months to get the tests done. No word on when or how the results will be delivered. 

For now, there is no call to stop drinking the tap water in your home and you shouldn’t. If your concerned about what could be in your drinking water, look into buying some sort of pitcher that filters your water.