Ice Rink Water Quality and PFAS
Ice rinks use large volumes of water for initial ice making and regular resurfacing with Zamboni machines. The water source — typically municipal tap water — determines the PFAS content of rink ice. In communities with PFAS-contaminated water supplies, rink ice contains PFAS at concentrations proportional to the source water.
Unlike drinking water, ice rink water is not subject to EPA drinking water MCLs or monitoring requirements. Rink operators draw from municipal water without additional treatment, meaning PFAS-contaminated municipal water directly becomes PFAS-contaminated ice. The issue has not historically been on the radar of rink operators or public health officials.
Exposure Pathways at Ice Rinks
Skaters are exposed to PFAS through ice contact (dermal absorption from skate blade cuts and ice shavings on clothing), inhalation of fine ice particles suspended during skating and resurfacing, and potential ingestion of water or ice during falls or hockey activities.
Rink staff — particularly those operating Zamboni machines during resurfacing — face inhalation exposure to water vapor and aerosols from hot water applied during resurfacing. The elevated temperature of Zamboni water may increase PFAS volatility slightly, though the primary concern for rink-based PFAS exposure is ingestion and dermal contact during skating activities.
Risk Assessment and Practical Actions
For recreational ice skaters — who visit rinks weekly or less frequently — PFAS exposure from ice rinks in areas with contaminated municipal water is modest compared to daily drinking water exposure. The contribution to total PFAS body burden is likely small except for professional skaters and rink workers with much higher exposure frequency.
Rink operators in PFAS-affected areas can install point-of-entry filtration on their water supply to provide PFAS-reduced water for ice making. This is a single-point intervention that protects the entire rink with one treatment system, leveraging economies of scale not available to individual households. Communicating with local public health authorities about water quality testing and filtration for rink water quality assurance is a responsible operational practice.