Drinking Water

Used since the 1940s, per- and poly-fluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) are a family of man-made chemicals of significant concern, as they persist in the environment as well as in the human body, causing a number of adverse health issues including low infant birth weight, immune system effects, and increased cholesterol levels.

Our factsheet, developed by NACCHO's Water, Sanitation, and Hygiene Preparedness workgroup, provides an overview of PFAS, the issue of PFAS in drinking water, and how local health departments are responding to this issue.

Download the factsheet at http://bit.ly/PFASFactsheet.

About the HiAP + Lead Collaborative

With funding from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s National Center for Environmental Health and Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry, NACCHO also participated in the HiAP + Lead Collaborative. The Collaborative, developed in 2018 and comprised of four national partners: the National Center for Healthy Housing, National Environmental Health Association, Association of State and Territorial Health Officials, and NACCHO, has assisted several health departments to use HiAP strategies in their lead poisoning prevention work.

Visit NACCHO's HiAP webpage for more information on the Collaborative's work.

About Lead Service Line Replacement Collaborative

NACCHO is a member of the LSL Replacement Collaborative, a diverse group of public health, water utility, environmental, labor, consumer, and housing organizations from across the country working together to encourage communities to accelerate the full replacement of lead service lines through collaborative efforts at the local level. Learn more at lslr-collaborative.org.

Have questions about our lead poisoning prevention work? Contact Geoffrey Mwaungulu, Jr. Director for Public Health Law and Policy at [email protected].

Community water fluoridation adjusts the amount of fluoride in drinking water to the level known to reduce tooth decay and promote good oral health. Water fluoridation’s biggest advantage is that it is the best method of delivering fluoride to all members of the community, regardless of age, education, income level, or access to routine dental care.

Local health departments play a critical role in educating their communities and promoting effective strategies to improve and maintain oral health. The resources below are for health departments and other local organizations to educate and inform their communities about the benefits of fluoridation.

Private Water Network

The mission of National Environmental Health Association's the Private Water Network (PWN) is to build a sustainable community for those working to support private water programs; to connect with their peers, to share experiences, insights, and resources, and to gain access to timely and relevant guidance for existing and emerging issues; and to build capacity to do the work more effectively and efficiently in order to protect the public’s health from contaminants in private water sources.

Membership to this virtual community of practice is free and offers access to the virtual platform that includes a discussion forum, resource library, event calendar, member directory, and community-wide search option. Members of the Network can engage on the virtual platform by uploading or downloading relevant materials, engaging in discussions, connecting with peers, and promoting relevant events. Furthermore, the membership to PWN also offers access to exclusive webinars and newsletters on private water issues.

Join the Private Water Network.

More helpful partner resources are available below.