Wisconsin: high levels of “forever chemicals” in Peshtigo water wells

Several residents of Peshtigo, Wisconsin, were compelled to use bottled water for domestic purposes after testing data revealed that their wells contained excessive levels of “forever chemicals.” Alyssa Sellwood, a water resources engineer at the Department of Natural Resources (DNR), said notices were sent to 54 homes in the town this week. The notices told residents that levels of contaminants in their wells were above health recommendations and offered bottled water as a replacement for domestic use. Four of the involved homes refused the offer. This is not the first time the DNR has sent such notices in Peshtigo. In 2020 and 2021, other tests showed elevated levels of PFAS (popularly known as “forever chemicals”) in local private wells, leading to letters of warning to 32 homes.
Doug Oitzinger, a Marinette city council member and former mayor, was not surprised by the test results because he has been fighting PFAS contamination in the area for the past eight years. The issue is linked to the nearby Tyco Fire Products facility, acquired by Johnson Controls in 2016. It tested firefighting foam containing PFAS outdoors for decades before closing in 2017. The foam ended up on the soil surrounding the facility and, when washed away, into the Marinette sewage system. The system carried the contaminated foam into several water sources, including the wells in Peshtigo. Many households in the town have been forced to use bottled water for years after discovering the contamination. In many cases, the bottled water is provided by Tyco/Johnson Controls, which is also digging new wells for impacted residents.
In addition to the new warnings for Peshtigo residents, the DNR asked Tyco Controls to revisit testing done in the Marinette and Peshtigo areas to ensure no other wells contain PFAS beyond the recommended health advisory levels. These levels have recently been changed by the Department of Health under guidelines from the Environmental Protection Agency, passing from 20 to 4 ppt (parts per trillion) for PFOA and PFOS, the most common PFAS compounds.