Read the full article by Alan Hovorka (Stevens Point Journal)
“STEVENS POINT – The last time the city and the village of Plover tested municipal water wells for a group of cancer-linked chemicals was almost a decade ago.
Stevens Point and village of Plover officials say the water is safe to drink today as it was a decade ago when testing showed no presence for PFAS, or per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances. PFAS are known as ‘forever chemicals’ because they never break down once absorbed into the human body.
The comments come amid growing concern about the presence of PFAS in drinking water supplies. Last month, USA TODAY Network-Wisconsin reported all municipal drinking water wells in Wausau tested above state-recommended health standards of 20 parts per trillion.
The wells in Wausau showed PFAS amounts between 23 and 48 parts per trillion, prompting the city to provide bottled water to some residents as a short-term solution. The Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources identified Wausau as one of 50 communities in the state struggling with PFAS contamination. Other cities include Eau Claire, Rib Mountain, Madison, Milwaukee and Manitowoc.
New mandatory testing starts next year
Both Plover and Stevens Point tested their water supplies as part of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s mandatory testing through Third Unregulated Contaminant Monitoring Rule, known as UCMR 3.
Stevens Point and Plover will again test their water starting next year as part of the Fifth Unregulated Contaminant Monitoring Rule. Stevens Point will test in 2023, and Plover will test in 2024. The EPA publishes results from those tests in batches. It will take several months for the agency to publish results on its website after third-party labs conduct the testing and analysis.”…