Water, an essential to life, is often taken for granted. From making your morning coffee before class to drinking water from your water bottle during lectures, water is the basis for everyday life. But how often does society pay attention to water quality?
Last month, the University of Connecticut released its 2025 Annual Water Quality Report, stating that all drinking water samples met the standards of the federal Safe Drinking Water Act. The report highlights UConn’s water supply system, high conservation rate and regulatory oversight.
Though the overall results seem standard, UConn received two Notices of Violation. In December 2025 and January 2026, the main campus in Storrs failed to submit additional tests for color, turbidity and odor. A third violation is anticipated for February 2026. UConn’s PFAS and PFOS were also of concern. PFAS, also known as perfluoroalkyl and polyfluoroalkyl substances, is a family of synthetic chemicals. Specifically, PFOS, also known as perfluorooctane sulfonate, is a highly toxic chemical within that chemical family.
According to the report, “The U.S. EPA has newly established standards for this class of chemicals. These regulations go into effec...