Even as the state and federal governments are making slow, belated progress dealing with the industrial chemicals called PFAS in our drinking water, we are learning more about how pervasive these toxic chemicals are. Virginia urgently needs to determine exactly where PFAS are a problem and develop effective strategies to deal with them.

The U.S. Geological Survey recently studied, for the first time, how widespread PFAS are in private and public drinking water across the country. What they found should be cause for alarm, and for action: Nearly half — 45% — of water tested in private water supplies and public water systems across the country was found to contain these chemicals. That means that whether you use a backyard well or a public system, there’s a good chance your water may contain chemicals that can lead to serious health problems.

PFAS — poly- and perfluoroalkyl substances — are human-made chemicals that are extremely durable. They are another example of how humans come up with something that seems great — until we learn, the hard way, about detrimental side effects.

3M, the industrial giant, began making two types of PFAS in the 1950s because they could repel water, resist heat, protect surfaces and do all sorts of useful things. Other companies began using the chemicals, and soon they were in outdoor clothing, nonstick cookware, cosmetics, cleaning products, carpets and upholstery — you name it.

Before long, they were also in our water.

The military began using fire-fighting foams containing PFAS to extinguish high-intensity fires on military bases, ships and aircraft. Now many of the highest concentrations of PFAS are found on and near military installations, including Naval Station Norfolk, Naval Air Station Oceana in Virginia Beach, Naval Auxiliary Landing Field Fentress in Chesapeake and Joint Base Langley-Eustis at Hampton and Newport News. On the Eastern Shore, the village of Chincoteague has been dealing for years with water contaminated by PFAS in firefighting foam used at NASA Wallops Flight Facility.

The properties that make PFAS so useful also make them “forever chemicals” that don’t break down naturally. They move through the earth and into aquifers. If they are discharged into the air, they can travel for miles. In time, they penetrate water supplies, soil and crops.

That’s a serious problem because they have been linked to cancers, thyroid disease, birth defects, miscarriages and other problems.

PFAS were widely used for decades before scientists began to realize the potential harm. It has taken even longer for governments and industries to take appropriate action. The EPA is working to finalize the first enforceable standards for levels of PFAS in drinking water, hoping to have them in place by the end of the year. The federal bipartisan infrastructure law passed in 2021 includes $2 billion to deal with PFAS and other contaminants in water.

Virginia has only recently begun serious efforts to study the extent of PFAS contamination in water across the state. The inadequate amount of money the legislature has dedicated to extensive testing has been supplemented by funds from the EPA made available by the state Department of Health.

Early this year, the military announced it would stop using firefighting foam with PFAS. The Pentagon is now required to publish the results of drinking water groundwater contamination on and near bases.

3M has said it will stop producing PFAS by 2026. REI, the outdoor retail chain, will stop selling any items with PFAS by next year. Major manufacturers including 3M and DuPont are paying billions of dollars in settlements related to PFAS use.

For years, most Virginians, like most other Americans, weren’t aware of the damage these “forever chemicals” were doing to our environment and our health.

Now that we know, Virginia needs to do what it takes to stop contaminating our water. We also need to deal promptly with the PFAS already here. We need money and effort to find contaminated water sources and deal with them effectively. The longer we wait, the more people will suffer.