After August water samples from the Pine River School for Young Learners indicated dangerously high levels of PFAS, the Merrill Area School District will supply bottled water for all drinking, brushing teeth, and other purposes.
Instead of preparing food onsite, meals will be prepared in the Merrill High School kitchen and then transported over.
Each quarter, they will continue to test the water.
The hope is that the district can transition to longer term alternatives, like point-of-use water treatment solutions, as they continue to work with the DNR.
Water with high levels of PFAS can be used for cleaning or hand washing but not for consumption.
PFAS pollutants have been detected around Wisconsin and globally.
Recently, WXPR reported on PFAS levels in Stella, Wisconsin, which have ranked among the highest in the country.
According to the DNR’s website, the City of Merrill tested its wells in May.
PFAS was detected below the state health standard.
PFAS contamination has been linked to decreased fertility, developmental delays in children, and increased risk of cancer, among other issues.
