PFAS sampling for municipal and private well properties

PFAS are described as persistent because they resist the processes that break down most organic compounds. They do not degrade meaningfully in the environment, which is why they continue to be detected in groundwater and surface water long after the activity that released them has ceased.

Olympian Water Testing provides professional PFAS testing for well owners, homeowners, property buyers, building owners and institutional clients across New York, New Jersey and Connecticut.

For contaminants that degrade or fluctuate, monitoring frequency is the central question. For PFAS it is less so, because these compounds arrive with the source water rather than from building plumbing, and a well characterized baseline retains its value for longer.

That distinction shapes the scope. Where a concern relates to building plumbing, the sampling logic follows stagnation and fixture selection. Where the concern is PFAS, the logic follows the source, which for private wells means aquifer conditions and proximity to potential release points.

Reassessment becomes appropriate where the supply changes, where a nearby source becomes known, or where treatment is installed and its performance requires verification.

Because PFAS are quantified at parts per trillion, the collection process forms part of the measurement. Olympian Water Testing follows PFAS specific field protocols using appropriate containers and materials selected for this analysis, with custody documented from collection through analysis.

EPA Method 537.1 addresses the longer chain sulfonates and carboxylates referenced by most compliance frameworks. EPA Method 533 applies isotope dilution and extends coverage into shorter chain and ether based compounds. The two are frequently run together where the objective is broader characterization.

Method selection follows the client's objectives and the compounds of concern, and may be adjusted where doing so preserves holding times.

Private wells sit outside federal drinking water regulation, and a conventional well panel covering bacteria, nitrate, pH and common minerals does not extend to PFAS unless specifically commissioned.

Reports identify every compound analyzed, the concentration where detected, the reporting limit, and the compounds not detected above that limit, together with the applicable reference framework.

The Environmental Protection Agency has established national drinking water standards for several PFAS, including maximum contaminant levels of 4.0 parts per trillion for PFOA and PFOS, which indicates the analytical sensitivity these compounds require.

For a well owner, a PFAS baseline establishes a documented position for the property that supports decisions about treatment, a transaction, or simply the household's own understanding of its water.

Since 1991 Olympian Water Testing has carried out independent professional water testing across New York, New Jersey and Connecticut, with NELAP accredited laboratory analysis.

One of our consultants determines parameter selection with you, and enquiries reach Olympian at any hour on any day.