PFAS Shuts Down Wells In Marshfield, Adams
Drinking water contaminated. Waukesha court ruled DNR can’t regulate deadly pollutant.
Environmental groups are sounding the alarm after drinking water wells in the communities of Marshfield and Adams were shut down last week due to tests by the Department of Natural Resources (DNR) that found levels of PFAS (per- and polyfluroralkyl substances) high enough to be harmful for humans.
Bill Davis, senior staff attorney for the River Alliance of Wisconsin, warned that with the continued risk from PFAS, ongoing battles in the Legislature and the courts over regulating the chemicals pose a continuing threat to communities. In April, a Waukesha County Circuit Court Judge ruled that the DNR cannot regulate PFAS and other emerging toxic substances under Wisconsin’s Spills Law following a lawsuit brought by the state’s largest business lobby.
PFAS and related man-made compounds were used throughout private industry for decades. Prized as the secret ingredient in non-stick pans, wrappers, flame retardant clothing, firefighting foam and many other products, the compounds found their way all over the world. They also are bio-resistant, meaning they don’t break down in the environment, nor in our own bodies.
PFAS can contaminate water, soil, and other mediums, and have been linked to chronic ailments including cancers, birth defects, thyroid disorders, and other diseases. Many contamination sites can be linked to historical use by various companies, who then are held responsible for testing contaminated water supplies and cleaning up their properties.
“We need to take a precautionary approach to how we manufacture and use chemicals, which we haven’t done with PFAS,” said Davis. “It’s currently legal to invent a new substance and use it without determining whether it will cause human health or environmental problems. We will continue to ‘discover’ more and more problematic substances like PFAS — just as we have done with PCBs, DDT and lead — until those who create a new chemical must prove it’s safe before it’s used.”
PFAS shuts down wells in the communities of Adams, Marshfield was originally published by the Wisconsin Examiner.
More about the PFAS Problem
- 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
- Gov. Evers Vetoes PFAS Bill, Calls Special Meeting of Budget Committee - Baylor Spears - Apr 10th, 2024
- DNR, DHS Respond To EPA’s Announcement Of Maximum Contaminant Levels For PFAS In Drinking Water - Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources - Apr 10th, 2024
- GOP Leaders Urge Gov. Evers to Sign Divisive PFAS Bill - Baylor Spears - Apr 2nd, 2024
- UW-Madison to Open PFAS Center - Robert D'Andrea - Apr 1st, 2024
- Gov. Evers Slams Republicans for Continued Delays Releasing Critical Funds to Fight PFAS Statewide, Stabilize Healthcare Industry in Western Wisconsin - Gov. Tony Evers - Mar 11th, 2024
- Wisconsin DNR Update On WMC And Leather Rich, Inc V. DNR - Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources - Mar 8th, 2024
Read more about PFAS Problem here