Should you make baby formula with tap water near old airbase or factory sites?
Use bottled or reverse-osmosis filtered water for formula if your area has known PFAS contamination from old industrial sites.
What's actually in it
Old military airbases, firefighting training sites, and chemical factories leaked PFAS into the ground for decades. The chemicals seeped into groundwater that now feeds local water utilities. PFAS hang around in the body for years. Babies fed formula made with this water start life with a steady dose.
What the research says
A 2026 study in J Expo Sci Environ Epidemiol mapped Southern California birth addresses against public water PFAS levels and tracked childhood cancer from 2000 to 2019. Areas with higher PFAS service had more cases, with the strongest signal in blood and brain cancers.
Check your address on the EWG Tap Water Database. If you're near a known PFAS site, install a reverse osmosis filter under the kitchen sink for cooking and formula. Less expensive option: a Clearly Filtered or Epic Pure pitcher rated for PFAS. Use the filtered water for ice and any drinks for the baby and small kids.
The research at a glance
| Study | Journal | Year |
|---|---|---|
| Spatial analysis of residential location at birth, PFAS in public water, and childhood cancers in Southern California | J Expo Sci Environ Epidemiol | 2026 |
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