Residents demand answers after alarming revelation about their drinking water: 'Who is responsible?'

In Pennsylvania, a community is grappling with the toxic consequences of sewage sludge that was spread on nearby fields in the 1980s.

What's happening?

In April 2024, Pennsylvania's Department of Environmental Protection discovered dangerously high levels of perfluoroalkyl and polyfluoroalkyl substances, also known as forever chemicals, in groundwater and wells at a mobile home park in Columbia County. The contamination was likely a result of sewage sludge that was spread on agricultural fields in the 1980s.

Residents told WVIA Radio that they did not hear the news until six months later, and many expressed concern during a public hearing.

"My six-year-old daughter asked me yesterday, 'Mommy, who put bad chemicals in our water?' … So, on behalf of my six-year-old … who is responsible," asked Janine Hall, whose water tested well above safe drinking standards, according to the news outlet.

Why is PFAS contamination concerning?

The broader categorization of "PFAS" describes a group of thousands of human-made chemicals that are used in products like non-stick cookware, water-resistant clothing, and firefighting foams. Nicknamed "forever chemicals" because of their resistance to breaking down, they have infiltrated water supplies across the country. 

For instance, testing of private wells in Cadillac, Michigan, found PFAS in the water supply, concerning local residents. And for good reason. PFAS have been linked to a range of health concerns, including cancer, poor immunity, and reproductive disorders. One study even estimated that more than 20% of Americans may be exposed to PFAS-laced tap water.

Back in Pennsylvania, Hall's husband Peter had his blood tested by a local doctor, and found it contained levels of PFAS at 280 parts per trillion. WVIA reported that the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency considers some types of PFAS to be unsafe at levels above four parts per trillion. 

Other residents said they are worried that some of their health issues — problems like osteoarthritis, anemia, miscarriage, and cancer — may have been caused or exacerbated by PFAS contamination, according to WVIA.

What's being done about PFAS?

Pennsylvania's DEP plans to install filtration systems in at least 22 homes in Columbia County, per WVIA. They will also be doing soil sampling to determine possible sources. Pennsylvania started regulating PFAS in 2023, according to the news outlet.

Meanwhile, other states have enacted legislation that takes aim at PFAS. For instance, New Hampshire lawmakers recently banned ski, board, and boat waxes containing these chemicals. 

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The general thinking goes that if using such chemicals would never have been approved in the first place with the knowledge we have now of the dangers, they should not continue to be approved moving forward either. 

Scientists are also working on ways to break these chemicals down before they have a chance to harm humans or the environment. For instance, researchers at the University of Illinois found a way to remove the full spectrum of PFAS from water in a single process, and scientists at the University of Rochester are doing similar work.

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