Even With Temporary Solution to Treat PFAS, Wausau's Drinking Water Recently Exceeded State Recommended Levels

Tuesday, September 5th, 2023 -- 8:16 AM

(By Danielle Kaeding, Wisconsin Public Radio) Despite a temporary solution to treat PFAS, the chemicals in Wausau's drinking water recently exceeded levels recommended by state health officials as PFAS are breaking through its filtration system.

But, according to Danielle Kaeding with Wisconsin Public Radio, levels are far below the state's drinking water standards. PFAS, short for per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances, are a class of thousands of synthetic chemicals used in products like cookware, food wrappers and firefighting foam.

Research shows high exposure to PFAS has been linked to kidney and testicular cancers, fertility issues, thyroid disease and reduced response to vaccines over time. Wausau Water Works notified residents this week that sampling showed a mix of PFAS chemicals at levels of 22.7 parts per trillion.

That’s just above the state's proposed groundwater standard of 20 parts per trillion that was recommended by the Wisconsin Department of Health Services. Additional testing showed levels of the chemicals around 12 parts per trillion.

"We're monitoring monthly, which is significantly more than what we have to, but we're just trying to understand how our interim solution with the resin is functioning and when we're going to have to replace it," Eric Lindman, Wausau’s director of public works and utilities, told WPR.

The city’s new treatment plant includes a temporary resin filtration system to remove PFAS. That temporary system will ultimately be replaced by city's plan to build a roughly $15 million treatment system that will use granular activated carbon to remove the chemicals from drinking water.

Wausau has borrowed about $17.5 million for the project. Water rates for residents have already gone up almost 65 percent with construction of the new plant. Last year, the state enacted drinking water standards of 70 parts per trillion in August.

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency has since proposed limits for the chemicals in drinking water of 4 parts per trillion for two of the most widely studied substances, PFOA and PFOS. That’s around 17 times more stringent than the state’s drinking water standard.

Steve Elmore is director of the Drinking Water and Groundwater Bureau for the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources. He said water systems are required to notify users if PFAS levels exceed the state’s recommended groundwater standard.

However, he said they’re not required to take corrective action unless they go beyond the state’s drinking water standard of 70 parts per trillion for the chemicals. Elmore said PFAS is breaking through the part of Wausau’s filtration system that removes the chemicals from drinking water because it becomes overloaded with PFAS.

"Some of it keeps going through, and so they're doing a regularly scheduled change out of the (filter) in the next month is what I'm being told and that will then reduce the PFAS again," Elmore said.

Elmore said it's likely Wausau will see slight increases in PFAS until a permanent treatment system is installed because the plant was not designed to remove the chemicals. Although, the plant's filtration system is removing some PFAS along with other drinking water contaminants.

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