In Manatee County, ‘forever chemicals’ were found in a greater-than-ideal concentration. But some of the chemicals are added to keep us safe.
By Sera Deniz
Original Air Date: March 12, 2025
Host: What’s in your drinking water? A lot of chemicals. Sera Deniz reports from a local forum about the bad and the good.
Sera Deniz: The League of Women Voters of Manatee County on Monday hosted an event to raise awareness about drinking water safety. Abbey Tyrna spoke about the 50th anniversary of the Safe Drinking Water Act, which regulates over 90 contaminants. The executive director of Suncoast Waterkeeper, a non-profit that aims to protect local bodies of water, highlighted the need for more action to ensure water safety.
Dr. Abbey Tyrna. Photo by C. Todd Sherman via Suncoast Searchlight.
Abbey Tyrna: There are thousands of PFAS inventoried. There’s six regulated by the United States’ Clean Drinking Water Act, not to begin until 2026.
SD: PFAS, also known as “forever chemicals,” have been added to the list of regulated contaminants. This is the first addition in decades. However, these new regulations won’t take effect until 2026. Dr. Tyrna also shared news from Manatee County, where some PFOA levels are above health goals, although still under federal limits.
AT: PFOA in Manatee County drinking water during this one day in May 2023 was at levels higher than the health goal but less than the maximum contaminant level.
SD: The EPA is also monitoring over 86,000 unregulated contaminants, and lithium remains one of the key concerns despite being unregulated. Dr. Tyrna reported that lithium levels in Manatee County exceed the health goal.
AT: Lithium was found at both the city of Bradenton and in Manatee County, and it was around 12 micrograms per liter. The goal is ten micrograms per liter.
SD: Kim Clayback is the infrastructure engineer of City of Bradenton utilities and part of the city’s water treatment team. She reassured forum participants that measures are in place to ensure water quality and safety.
Kim Clayback: Everybody has big concerns about arsenic. Just so you know, there’s less arsenic in your drinking water than there is in rice, if you eat rice.
SD: Clayback also explained the vital role chemicals play in keeping our water safe from harmful bacteria and viruses.
KC: The chemicals that we add to provide clean drinking water to you so that it doesn’t have bacteria and it doesn’t have viruses in it—that it does not create a health concern in and of itself.
Water treatment plant. Photo via Manatee County.
SD: Clayback emphasized how important it is to maintain the correct pH levels in water to keep it safe for drinking.
KC: A big part of water regulation that is not talked about a lot but is not easy to do every day is to make sure that the pH is at a level that is safe for people to drink.
SD: Dr. Tyrna urges the public to check their local drinking water reports for detailed information on contaminants, which are available through a simple online search.
AT: You can put in your search browser “Manatee County consumer confidence report,” and then you’ll get this drinking water report that talks about where they get their drinking water.
SD: Whether it’s protecting against “forever chemicals” or balancing pH levels, keeping our drinking water safe is an ongoing priority. For more details on your local water quality, check your county’s consumer confidence report.
Reporting for WSLR News, Sera Deniz.
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