TWIN FALLS, Idaho — The Magic Valley Regional Airport issued a consumer notice after testing detected PFAS in an airport drinking water well. The results were not from the City of Twin Falls water system.
A release from the City of Twin Falls said a sample collected Aug. 26 found PFOA at 9.83 parts per trillion and PFOS at 5.35 parts per trillion. The federal drinking water limit for each chemical is 4.0 parts per trillion.
Airport water users may want to use bottled water or a PFAS-reducing filter when making food, drinking or brushing their teeth. Boiling the water will not remove the chemicals. The notice says the water remains suitable for uses such as bathing, washing clothes and cleaning dishes.
Initial PFAS monitoring must be completed by April 2027 and compliance with federal limits is required by April 2029. A single well sample above a federal limit does not, by itself, establish a regulatory violation.
The airport is evaluating treatment options, seeking engineering or funding assistance and pursuing a new water source.
PFAS are often called “forever chemicals” because they can persist in the environment and build up in the body over time. Exposure to certain PFAS may be linked to certain health issues including certain cancers.
The airport’s consumer notice was distributed Sept. 22. For questions about the airport water system, contact airport administration at 208-733-5215.
