Meleesa Johnson knows PFAS can be a scary topic. But the Executive Director of Wisconsin’s Green Fire doesn’t want people to be afraid, she wants them to be informed.
It’s the main reason the organization hasreleased its second PFAS report.
Johnson wants to make sure people know where the state is when it comes to PFAS issues and where there are gaps in knowledge and action.
“I think the first is, yes, we have a problem. It's probably not as horrific as we once thought. In other words, it's not like we have every single water supply system in the state of Wisconsin impacted. That's not the case. Where we do have impacts that can be very, very challenging,” said Johnson.
Concerning levels of PFAS have been found in about 8% of state’s municipal public water systems.
For the people and communities that have been affected, the biggest issue is fixing the problem and who pays for it.
Cities are looking at spending millions of dollars to implement solutions.
“The costs that they're incurring just to protect their community are significant. You know who bears that cost? Ratepayers. People who are, I always refer to the ALICE folks, Asset Limited Income Constrained Employed. Those folks are already struggling, and now we're going to add on this additional burden of helping to pay the cost to treat their water to make it safe,” said Johnson.
An October report from the DNR, found some level of detection in 71% of the 450 private wells sampled in the state, though the majority were below the EPA’s proposed standard of less than 4 parts per trillion.
That was the same sampling project that found some of the highest levels of concentration in private wells in the U.S. in the Town of Stella in Oneida County.
Johnson says the lack of groundwater standards and the high cost of PFAS testing for private wells is an inequity.
About a quarter of the state’s population gets their water from private wells.
“We need to create a focus on helping folks in our rural areas, primarily, who have their own private wells. We have to find a way to, number one, get that phased in so we can start sampling. But where there's detects, support them by helping offset the cost of a reverse osmosis system or a granulated activated carbon system because these things aren't cheap,” said Johnson.
Among Wisconsin’s Green Fire recommendations is a call for science-based standards, additional funding, and more research into the risks posed by PFAS.
Health officials say the health risk of high levels of PFAS in the blood may include increased cholesterol levels, decreased fertility in women, and increased risk of thyroid disease.
Johnson encourages people to be informed, even if they aren’t directly impacted by contamination.
“Be a partner in the solution. If you feel disenfranchised and helpless, that's the worst place to be,” said Johnson. “But if you can feel to be a part of the solution, by helping to advocate for consumer goods that have no fluorinated compounds, you now feel that you’re part of the fight, you're part of doing the good work.”
