The Suffolk County Water Authority has filed civil complaints against several manufacturers of household detergents, personal care products and industrial chemicals after discovering harmful chemicals polluting the water supply.

The regulatory body found 1,4-dioxane, which has widespread use in soaps, deodorants and shampoos; perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA) and perfluorooctane sulfonate (PFOS). All three are listed as carcinogenic by the Environmental Protection Agency and, as a result, the authority is suing several companies who have manufactured, distributed and sold products containing the contaminants, including Dow, Ferro, Vulcan Materials, Procter & Gamble, Shell, 3M, Buckeye Fire Equipment, Chemguard, Tyco, and National Foam.

“The ratepayers of the Suffolk County Water Authority should not have to pay for the reckless behavior of companies who knew or should have known about these dangers,” said Chairman James Guaghran. “And we’re going to do everything we can to make sure they won’t.”