What are PFAS chemicals and why are they a concern in Stella, Wisconsin?

PFAS are forever chemicals that resist breaking down and accumulate in the body, linked to serious health risks. In Stella, Wisconsin, private wells were found to have PFAS levels thousands of times higher than federal limits, affecting residents and local ecosystems.

How did PFAS contaminate the water in Stella, Wisconsin?

State officials in Wisconsin believe that industrial sludge, containing PFAS from a local paper mill and spread on farm fields for decades, leached into the groundwater that feeds Stella's private wells.

Why are private well owners more vulnerable to PFAS contamination than public water users?

Unlike public water systems, private drinking water wells are not subject to federal PFAS regulations. This means millions of people may not know their water is tainted without random testing, leaving them with fewer protections and resources.

Home / Environment / Wisconsin Town's Water Turned Toxic by Forever Chemicals

Wisconsin Town's Water Turned Toxic by Forever Chemicals

2 Feb

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Summary

PFAS chemicals contaminate private wells at thousands of times federal limits.
Industrial sludge spread on farms poisoned groundwater for decades.
Private well owners lack federal protections public water users have.

Wisconsin Town's Water Turned Toxic by Forever Chemicals

In Stella, Wisconsin, residents discovered their private drinking water wells were contaminated with PFAS, commonly known as forever chemicals, at levels thousands of times higher than federal limits. This contamination, found in 2022, stemmed from industrial sludge spread on local farm fields for decades, which state officials believe leached into groundwater. Kristen Hanneman's well, tested by state scientists, revealed the widespread issue, impacting pristine lakes and local wildlife.

Unlike public water utilities, roughly 40 million Americans relying on private wells lack federal protections against PFAS. This leaves them vulnerable to discovering contamination only through random testing, as occurred in Stella. The chemicals are known to accumulate in the body and have been linked to increased cancer risk and developmental delays. In Stella, the source was traced to a paper mill's waste sludge, permitted for use as fertilizer until the dangers of PFAS were widely understood.