Toxic chemicals are found in virtually every South Carolina river tested

Problems

• Toxic chemicals found in virtually every South Carolina river tested

  South Carolina is a US state that is situated in the country’s southeastern region. All the rivers in the state end up draining into the Atlantic Ocean. The major rivers in the state usually have smaller tributaries that can be said to be draining into these major rivers. 
  
  The Edisto River is the longest river system that flows entirely within the state of South Carolina. The flow of the river begins from two major tributaries namely the North and South Fork in the Sandhills area of South Carolina. This river system flows through only one main town (Orangeburg) before ending up in the Atlantic. One of its major tributaries is the Four Holes Swamp, which is a network of small braided river channels as opposed to a single defined river channel. The Edisto River is home to a number of fish including spotted sucker, flat bullhead, largemouth bass, longnose gar, and redbreast sunfish. 
  
  Virtually every river, creek and lake tested by South Carolina regulators was found to contain "forever chemicals,'' materials once used by industry that today are being linked to a variety of toxic effects on people. 
  
  Test results show that many rivers, streams and lakes exceeded the new health advisory limit of near zero for two of the most common types of PFAS chemicals, known as PFOA and PFOS.
  
  The highest levels of PFOA showed up at Big Generostee Creek in the Savannah River Basin near Anderson. The creek had a reading of 170 parts per trillion for PFOA. That's roughly 170 times higher than the current health advisory limit, but also more than twice as high as the old health limit of 70 parts per trillion.
  
  Lake Conestee, an Upstate lake just south of Greenville, had the highest recorded level of PFOS at 135 parts per trillion, according to DHEC's test results.
  
  DHEC also included total amounts for all forever chemicals tested in each river basin.
  The Pocataligo River, near Manning in eastern South Carolina, had by far the highest total accumulation of PFAS, with a reading of 7,663 parts per trillion, records show. A map of locations where forever chemicals were found.
  
  In South Carolina, sludge from an abandoned textile mill is the suspected source of drinking water contamination in Darlington County. The sludge was used as fertilizer on farm fields. In Sumter County, PFAS pollution from Shaw Air Force Base is suspected of polluting private wells in nearby trailer parks. 
  The EPA says there are thousands of types of PFAS, and like their nickname indicates, they do not break down easily in the environment.
  
  Rivers contaminated with PFAS can threaten the health of fish and other aquatic life but, more importantly, can taint drinking water sources that previous testing has shown already are dealing with trace amounts of contamination. 

• Health effects of toxic chemicals pollution waterways

  Toxic “forever chemicals’’ that are suspected of increasing cancer risks, causing liver damage and triggering kidney problems for those exposed to them are showing up in rivers and creeks that residents of South Carolina and other states rely on for drinking water.
  
  Regular exposure to forever chemicals, which often comes through drinking polluted water or eating contaminated food, is suspected of causing certain forms of cancer and developmental disabilities in children.
  
  Scientific studies have described the increased risk to men of prostate or testicular cancer from exposure to PFAS. Exposure to these forever chemicals also can cause decreased fertility in women, according to the Environmental Protection Agency.