Here & Now

Eau Claire Takes Action on a PFAS Problem in its Well Water

Frederica Freyberg:

Aside from lead pipes, communities across Wisconsin are also contending with PFAS contamination in drinking and groundwater. There are few enforceable standards for the harmful chemicals on a state or federal level, but one northwest Wisconsin community decided it cannot wait for legislation before dealing with such pollution. Marisa Wojcik brings us this report from Eau Claire.

Lane Berg:

We’ve done things in our past to the environment that at the time they may not have seemed bad, but now we find out later that they’re not great for the earth and for our personal health.

Marisa Wojcik:

Lane Berg is the city of Eau Claire utilities manager, in charge of the city’s drinking water wells.

Lane Berg:

We have 16 active wells in our well field here. It’s about 400 acres in size and it serves the entire population of the city of Eau Claire. We pump about 9 million gallons per day.

Marisa Wojcik:

In July when the city’s water treatment plant first detected elevated levels of an emerging contaminant known as PFAS, Berg took immediate action.

Lane Berg:

When we did sample all of our wells, we found four wells on the north end of our well field that were slightly higher in PFAS levels. At that point we shut those wells down immediately.

Marisa Wojcik:

PFAS stands for per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances and referred to as “forever chemicals.” Over the last few years, known contamination sites have popped up throughout Wisconsin.

Christy Remucal:

I think the more we test for it, the more we’ll find it.

Marisa Wojcik:

Christy Remucal is an associate professor of civil and environmental engineering at UW-Madison.

Christy Remucal:

These chemicals are used in a lot of different things we come in contact with every day, a lot of consumer products, anything that’s nonstick or waterproof. So you can think about pans, stain-resistant carpeting, waterproof clothing. They’re used in industrial applications and in firefighting foams just to name a few. Some of these chemicals have been used for decades and we’re just now kind of finding out about the extent of contamination for them in the environment. The concentrations we worry about for human exposure and environmental health are really low, so nanograms per liter, parts per trillion.

Marisa Wojcik:

Parts per trillion.

Lane Berg:

Very minute concentrations we’re looking for.

Marisa Wojcik:

Eau Claire’s name literally translates from French to “clear water,” an attribute Berg took seriously when they decided to begin testing for PFAS.

Lane Berg:

We started back in 2020. We did that on our own. We wanted to know if we did have PFAS in our water.

Marisa Wojcik:

Eau Claire water utilities worked with the DNR for guidance on how to sample and where.

Man:

So we are in basically about the middle of the well field. This is what we consider the north and south half from here.

Marisa Wojcik:

PFAS is especially concerning as a growing body of research links the chemicals to adverse health outcomes, including cancer, thyroid issues, increased cholesterol and problems for pregnant mothers and their babies. PFAS chemicals don’t break down over time. They travel far, and they are everywhere, making it difficult to hold parties responsible for contamination.

Lane Berg:

The DNR has actually listed the airport in close proximity to here as a PRP – potentially responsible party. They’re handling that full investigation.

Marisa Wojcik:

Many contamination sites across the U.S. are near airports or fire training centers, as powerful firefighting foams are packed with PFAS chemicals. While the DNR handles the investigation, Eau Claire utilities has been focusing on solutions.

Lane Berg:

Doing piping, creating these absorption ponds. We’re able to dump water which is cutting off the flow of PFAS to our better wells and we’ve actually seen improvement in five of our individual wells since we started doing this and our entry point has been on a steady decline as well.

Marisa Wojcik:

Government agencies have come out with different recommendations for what’s considered safe, but overall enforcement of standards is limited. In the meantime, Berg wants to reassure the people of Eau Claire.

Lane Berg:

I want to just reinforce the fact that our water is safe.

Christy Remucal:

I also think it’s really good that some utilities are being proactive and looking for these chemicals.

Lane Berg:

PFAS is a big issue. I don’t think we’ll be in a position to wait for any legislative action. We’ll take action on our own here. This is something we feel really strongly about and we’re going to try and resolve the problem.

Marisa Wojcik:

Most especially in a city named for its clear water. For “Here & Now,” I’m Marisa Wojcik in Eau Claire.