TEMPLE TERRACE, Fla. — Safe drinking water is something a lot of people take for granted, but not Liz Magrini.
After unexplained medical problems, she ponied up about a year ago and bought a whole-home filtration system.
“We had to put a credit line to take and pay for this stuff, but we thought it was important for us,” Magrini said.
WATCH: Temple Terrace expands effort to tackle 'forever chemicals' in drinking water
It’s a decision she’s glad she made.
Now, there’s a broader concern about the drinking water where she lives, Temple Terrace.
A recently discovered report from March shows the results of a test that found per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) — which are also known as forever chemicals — at higher than recommended levels in city water.
One particular forever chemical, perfluorooctanesulfonic acid (PFOS), was measured at a level almost five times higher than the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s max contaminant level of 4.0 parts per trillion (ppt).
The chemicals, which are also in everyday products used for cooking, food packaging, and personal care, can cause cancer and other ailments, according to the EPA.
“It’s very troubling, because I know some people are saying, ‘Oh, you know, it’s just in the water. It’s everywhere. Don’t worry about it.’ We’ve gotta worry about it,” Magrini said.
After public outcry, the city is getting serious about the problem, and it took its latest step earlier this week.
Temple Terrace council members voted unanimously to expand the role of consultants who are already studying the city’s drinking water. The broader study scope will allow the firm, CHA Consulting, to study treatment options to reduce forever chemicals in the city’s water.
“So, we'll be looking at not only interim treatment solutions — so something that can be deployed very quickly and knock, you know, the PFAS down — but then long-term,” explained Allen Dethloff with CHA Consulting.
Additionally, the city has scheduled a town hall meeting for Monday, Aug. 11, to answer the community’s questions about city drinking water.
The meeting is set for 6 p.m. at the Omar K. Lightfoot Senior Recreation Center.
Magrini is hoping for specifics.
“I think that would make us feel better — more positive,” she said.
She thinks the city’s response could be better, including better outreach to Temple Terrace’s diverse communities.
“The Arabic community — it’s about 33-34%,” she said.
However, she is pleased with the speed of the city’s response.
“I’m happy that the city went to make changes right away, and you know, get someone on board in a month,” she said. “Overall, I’m waiting and seeing. I’m optimistically hopeful.”
She’s hopeful the rest of the community will have clean water like she does in her home. It’s water she’ll never take for granted.
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