Wausau Pilot & Review
Nearly six months after a well was taken offline due to PFAS in the water system, Weston officials say a temporary treatment system lowered the contamination level enough to resume operations.
Issuing a statement on Monday, Weston officials said post-treatment PFAS levels in Well #4 are now below all health-based standards recommended by the Wisconsin Department of Health Services.
Well #4 was taken offline June 21 in response to a June 2 sample for per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) in the water system, which had previously shown to be impacted by the ‘forever chemicals.’ PFAS “are a group of chemicals used to make fluoropolymer coatings and products that resist heat, oil, stains, grease, and water.”
Weston installed a temporary PFAS treatment system – granular activated carbon, or GAC, at their existing treatment plant – for Well #4 in late summer of 2022. In November, the Wisconsin Department of Natural resources conducted an inspection of the system and “granted authorization to begin operations pending PFAS sample results.”
Well #4 was put back online on Dec. 9.
“The Village of Weston will continue to conduct operational sampling to ensure PFAS levels stay below DNR and DHS recommended action levels,” officials said.
Water supplied to Weston Water Utility customers “continues to meet existing drinking water standards and is below the DHS PFAS health advisory level. Weston Utility customers can confidently and safely continue to use and consume water from the Weston water supply as normal.”
