CONLEY COMMENTARY (WSAU) – Today is a three-facts-Thursday, on PFAS, or forever chemicals in drinking water. I’m Chris Conley.
Some communities in Central Wisconsin, among them Wausau, Rib Mountain, and Weston, are struggling to reduce levels of PFAS, or forever chemicals, in the water.
Fact one: Communities are trying to get their PFAS levels to below 20-parts-per-trillion. That is NOT state environmental law in Wisconsin. Wisconsin’s Department of Natural Resources requested a 20-parts standard. It was rejected by the Natural Resources Board. They favored the federal government’s recommendation – which is only advisory – which is three-times higher; 70 parts per trillion.
Fact two: Allowable levels of PFAS are much, much higher in other counties, and many of those nations are thought of as environmental champions. In Canada, it’s 200-parts-per-trillion. Germany, 300-parts-per-trillion. Most other European counties have set their levels at 100-parts-per-trillion.
Fact three: Switching to bottled water is an imperfect solution. Consumer Reports did a study last year the PFAS chemicals were in about half the bottled water they tested, because it’s stored plastic. Bottled water isn’t shipped cold. And if exposed to sunlight, the plastic bottles begin to break down. This is also a potential problem for lots of other consumer goods. PFAS is in microwave popcorn, plastic plates and utensils, microwave heat-up meals, plastic bottled soft drinks, non-stick coating on cookware, sippy cups for children and plastic in clothing like raingear.
If you live in a community where you’ve been told there are forever chemicals in the water, keep today’s three facts in perspective. Your water is safe to drink. And the 20-parts-per-trillion crowd has set an arbitrary standard that’s unreasonably strict, that you – the water rate payers – will foot the bill for.
I’m Chris Conley.
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