PFAS Water Filter in Pembroke Pines

PFAS in brief

PFAS (per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances) are a large group of synthetic chemicals that resist heat, water and grease. They break down extremely slowly and are found in water, soil and wildlife worldwide. EPA has been studying how often they occur in drinking water through UCMR 5 and setting national rules, which are still being implemented; check EPA's site for the current status.

Pembroke Pines' results

The city's 2023 report includes a section titled Availability of Monitoring Data for Unregulated Contaminants. It says the city sampled from March to September 2023 and lists detected compounds, including PFOA, PFOS, PFBS, PFHxS and several others, with average and range values in micrograms per liter. The city also wrote that, anticipating some of these may become regulated, it is conducting a study to determine appropriate treatment.

Read the table on the city's Water Quality Reports page, and call Utilities Customer Service at 954-518-9000 for details.

Newer reports, including the 2025 report, focus on regulated contaminants, so the 2023 report is the place to look for the UCMR 5 PFAS table.

How to read the units

The city reports in micrograms per liter (the same as parts per billion). News coverage and EPA rules often use nanograms per liter (parts per trillion). One microgram per liter equals one thousand nanograms per liter, so convert before comparing numbers from different sources.

Which filters to trust

• NSF/ANSI 53 (filters such as carbon) and NSF/ANSI 58 (reverse osmosis) include specific PFOA and PFOS reduction claims.
• The claim must be on the exact model; a technology or brand name is not enough.
• Check the certifier's public listing before you buy.

Reverse osmosis and certain carbon block systems are the technologies most often certified for these claims, but certification belongs to individual models, so two systems that look alike can differ.

Where Living Water stands

Living Water does not claim its systems remove PFAS. Jorge can help you read the city's report, explain RO and carbon options in general, and show you how to verify a model's certification. An in-home test does not measure PFAS; that requires a certified laboratory, which is also the route for private wells. See well water in Pembroke Pines.

Updated 2026-10-17 · Living Waters · Jorge Canela, Water Quality Specialist