Private Well Owners Face PFAS Peril with Limited Protection
The Associated Press has uncovered a critical vulnerability affecting millions of Americans: those who rely on private drinking water wells are at heightened risk from harmful forever chemicals, known as PFAS. These well owners often remain unaware of contamination for years, with solutions proving slow and inconsistent, leaving many stranded without safe water.
Federal Rules Fall Short for Private Wells
While the federal government enforces strict limits on PFAS in public water utilities, mandating testing and treatment, these regulations do not extend to private wells. This regulatory gap means individuals living near industrial sites may unknowingly consume contaminated water, exposing them to health risks linked to PFAS, including increased cancer chances and developmental delays in children.
PFAS chemicals, prized for their resistance to stains, moisture, and heat, have been widely used in products like waterproof apparel and firefighting foam. However, their persistence in the environment means they do not break down, leading to widespread contamination that poses long-term threats.
Household-by-Household Challenges in Remediation
Addressing PFAS contamination in private wells is a daunting task, as it requires household-by-household interventions rather than centralized treatment. This fragmented approach can leave some well owners excluded when regulators, legal teams, and companies negotiate assistance deals.
In Peshtigo, Wisconsin, a crisis emerged nearly a decade ago after PFAS was detected near a fire technology plant operated by Tyco and Johnson Controls. Disputes over testing and well-digging responsibilities resulted in uneven aid, with one resident receiving help while a neighbour just houses away did not. Johnson Controls has stated it accepts responsibility for areas identified in its investigation.
Locating all affected wells is laborious and costly. For instance, in North Carolina, PFAS from a chemical plant has spread up to 100 miles down the Cape Fear River, necessitating tens of thousands of tests to map contamination and identify impacted households.
State-Level Disparities in Response and Support
With no national rules governing PFAS in private wells, responsibility defaults to state authorities. An AP survey found that at least 20 states do not test private wells for PFAS outside known problem areas, and many lack clear policies to alert well owners to nearby contamination.
Michigan stands out as proactive, offering free groundwater tests to owners near PFAS hot spots, recognising that many rely on private wells. Elsewhere, support is scarce. In northwest Georgia, PFAS from carpet mills has contaminated the landscape, yet only well owners near Calhoun have received free tests, and only under a court agreement.
Many well owners value their independence from government oversight and avoid monthly bills, but this freedom becomes a liability when contamination strikes, highlighting a need for balanced regulatory approaches.
Community Impact: A Wisconsin Town's Struggle
A small town in Wisconsin exemplifies how PFAS discoveries can disrupt communities. In 2022, Kristen Hanneman participated in a state testing project and found PFAS levels in her family's well thousands of times above federal limits, shocking neighbours and sparking years of investigation and anxiety.
State officials traced the contamination to a nearby paper mill that used PFAS-laden sludge on farm fields, affecting groundwater, lakes, and wildlife. The mill's owners argue that these practices were state-permitted before dangers were known and that they ceased using PFAS years ago. With limited state resources for testing and grants for safer wells, residents feel stuck, worrying about health impacts from years of drinking contaminated water.
This reporting underscores the urgent need for coordinated efforts to protect private well owners from PFAS risks, blending environmental stewardship with public health safeguards.
