Read the full article by Rob Mentzer (Wisconsin Public Radio)
“The city of Wausau will study ways of removing PFAS from its drinking water after tests revealed elevated levels of the harmful “forever chemicals” in all six city wells.
The city’s water utility conducted the testing for perfluoroalkyl and polyfluoroalkyl substances, commonly called PFAS, after the state Department of Natural Resources recommended the testing in December based on a 2019 test result that also showed elevated PFAS levels.
According to the January tests, levels of the chemical compounds in Wausau exceed the proposed state standard of 20 parts per trillion for the chemicals, but fall under the federal Environmental Protection Agency’s advisory level, which is 70 parts per trillion. State agencies recommend residents take steps to reduce their exposure to the water by using specialized filters for drinking water, switching to purified or filtered bottled water and limiting use of city water in foods that absorb a lot of water such as rice or oatmeal.
At a press conference Wednesday, Wausau leaders said they were not advising people to stop drinking city water, but would make available information on potential mitigation measures residents can take voluntarily.”…