A new report says man-made "forever chemicals" are more common in U.S. drinking water supplies than earlier estimates suggested. An environmental group reported Wednesday that some of the highest levels were measured in three big cities. They are Miami, Florida; Philadelphia, Pennsylvania; and New Orleans, Louisiana.

一份新的报告说，在美国饮用水供应中，人造的 “永久性化学物质” 比先前估计的更为普遍。一个环保组织周三报告说，三个大城市受其污染水平最高。这三个城市是佛罗里达州的迈阿密；宾夕法尼亚州费城；还有路易斯安那州的新奥尔良。

"Forever chemicals," known as PFAS, resist breaking down in the environment. They have possible links to cancer, liver damage and other health problems. The findings of the Environmental Working Group, or EWG, show its 2018 estimate could be far too low. That estimate suggested that 110 million Americans could be contaminated with PFAS.

被称为 PFAS（全氟烷基和多氟烷基类）的 “永久化学物质” 在环境中不易分解。它们可能与癌症、肝损伤和其他健康问题有关。美国非盈利环境工作组（EWG) 的调查结果显示，2018 年对其的预估可能太低了。这一估计表明，1.1 亿美国人可能受到 PFAS 的污染。

"It's nearly impossible to avoid contaminated drinking water from these chemicals," said David Andrews, a scientist with the Environmental Working Group. He helped prepare the new report. The chemicals were used in products like Teflon and Scotchguard. Their replacements also could prove harmful to human health.

“几乎不可能避免这些化学物质污染饮用水，” 环境工作组的科学家戴维・安德鲁斯说。他帮助编写了新报告。这些化学物质被用于特氟隆和思高洁等产品中。其替代品也可能对人类健康有害。

The EWG studied tap water from 44 areas in 31 states and Washington, D.C. Tap water is a term for water from the public water system. Of the 44 water samples, only one area had no measurable levels of PFAS. That community was Meridian, Mississippi, which gets its drinking water from wells that are 215 meters underground.

EWG 研究了来自 31 个州和华盛顿特区的 44 个地区的自来水。自来水是指来自公共供水系统的水。在 44 个水样中，只有一个区域的 PFAS 含量无法检测到。这个地区位于密西西比州的莫瑞迪安，那里的饮用水来自地下 215 米深的水井。

Only Seattle, Washington and Tuscaloosa, Alabama had levels below 1 part per trillion, the limit the EWG suggests. EWG found an average of six to seven different PFAS chemical compounds at the tested sites. The effect of these mixtures on human health is unclear. But Andrews used negative language to describe the chemicals. "Everyone's really exposed to a toxic soup of these PFAS chemicals," he said.

只有华盛顿州的西雅图和亚拉巴马州的塔斯卡卢萨的含量水平低于万亿分之一，达到了 EWG 所建议的限制水平。EWG 在检测地点水样中平均发现了 6 到 7 种不同的 PFAS 化合物。这些混合物对人体健康的影响尚不清楚。但是安德鲁斯对这些化学物质给予了否定。“每个人都暴露在这些 PFAS 化学物质的有毒浸泡中，” 他说。

The United States Environmental Protection Agency, or EPA, has known since at least 2001 about the problem of PFAS in drinking water. But the agency has yet to set a national legal limit. EPA officials said early last year they would begin the process of setting limits on two of the chemicals, PFOA and PFOS. The EPA said it has helped state governments deal with PFAS and that it is working to set limits on the two main chemicals. But the timing for such limits remains unclear. I'm John Russell.

美国环境保护署 (EPA) 至少从 2001 年就知道饮用水中含有 PFAS 的问题。但该机构尚未设定全国性的法律限制。美国环保署官员去年早些时候表示，他们将开始对 PFOA（全氟辛酸）和 PFOS（全氟辛烷磺酰基化合物）这两种化学品进行限制。EPA 说，他们已经帮助各州政府处理 PFAS，并正在努力对这两种主要化学品设定限制。但实施这些限制的时机仍不明朗。约翰・罗塞尔为您播报。