French Island Wells Show PFAS Pollution
State investigates, gives bottled water to residents of island off-shore from La Crosse.
The Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources (DNR) and several other state agencies are working to provide bottled water to residents of French Island with private drinking wells that may be contaminated with harmful “forever chemicals.”
The island has 1,200 private wells and PFAS chemicals have been found in 180 of them, while other residents await test results.
The DNR is working with water treatment company Culligan to provide residents with five-gallon jugs of clean water.
French Island sits across the Black River from the City of La Crosse. The La Crosse Regional Airport is on the northern part of the island while the Town of Campbell and its 4,300 residents are on the southern part.
The airport is the likely reason PFAS have been found in drinking water across the island because the chemicals are used in firefighting foam commonly used to train and respond to airplane crashes.
The City of La Crosse is providing water to some of the island’s residents but has refused to give water to others. The Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel reported that La Crosse Mayor Tim Kabat directed city workers not to provide bottled water to residents who get water from wells that were contaminated with PFAS but at a levels lower than 20 parts per trillion — despite a recommendation from the DNR not to do so.
The Wisconsin Department of Health Services declared a drinking water advisory for the island last week, enabling the DNR to give people clean water while additional wells are tested.
PFAS, per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances, are a group of man-made chemicals used in a variety of industries for decades that do not break down in the environment. Long term exposure to the chemicals can lead to harmful effects in humans.
Reprinted with permission of Wisconsin Examiner.
More about the PFAS Problem
- PFAS in Foam Far Worse Than Water in Wisconsin’s Rivers, Lakes - Danielle Kaeding - Jul 10th, 2024
- Lawmakers At Odds Over Releasing Health, PFAS Funds - Erik Gunn - Jun 6th, 2024
- Wisconsin Senate Votes to Override Governor’s Vetoes - Baylor Spears - May 15th, 2024
- Gov. Evers Sues Republican Legislators for Continued Obstruction of Investments Intended to Address Pressing Challenges Facing Wisconsin - Gov. Tony Evers - May 13th, 2024
- Legislators Agree on Opioid Plan, Still Withhold PFAS, Hospital Funds - Erik Gunn - May 8th, 2024
- Gov. Evers Again Calls Republican Lawmakers into Special Meeting to Urge Immediate Release of $140 Million to Fight PFAS Statewide, Respond to Hospital Closures in Western Wisconsin - Gov. Tony Evers - May 6th, 2024
- The State of Politics: Voters Worried About PFAS in Water - Steven Walters - Apr 22nd, 2024
- EPA Slaps Two PFAS Chemicals With Superfund Law Designation - Danielle Kaeding - Apr 19th, 2024
- DNR Responds To EPA’s Designation Of PFOA And PFOS As Hazardous Substances - Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources - Apr 19th, 2024
- Evers Won’t Rule Out Court Challenge to Force Release of PFAS Funds - Danielle Kaeding - Apr 16th, 2024
Read more about PFAS Problem here