By Shereen Siewert | Wausau Pilot & Review
Tests show drinking water consumed by workers at 3M’s Greystone site in the Wausau area has PFAS contamination levels 26 times higher than the state’s groundwater standards, according to the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources.
The amounts appear to reflect the highest publicly-known PFAS contamination levels in the Wausau area, far higher than those found in the city’s drinking water.
3M Communication Strategist Carolyn LaViolette on Friday confirmed the company is aware of the test results and said they are now focusing on solutions to reduce the levels coming from the well. That could include a filtration system, she said.
“We have informed our Greystone Plant employees and have a bottled water cooler in place as a source of drinking water,” LaViolette told Wausau Pilot & Review.
Test results for water at the Greystone facility, at 4099 N. Fourth Ave., show a combined sum of 520 nanograms per liter, including both PFOA and PFOS. The Department of Health Services recommends a combined standard of 20 ng/l for these elements.
Those limits could be lower soon. In June, the Environmental Protection Agency released new advisories regarding acceptable levels of PFOA and PFOS. Those advisories set levels for the two PFAS to 0.004 and 0.02 parts per trillion, respectively – or “near zero,” as officials said when announcing the new guidelines. Exposure to certain PFAS has been linked with negative pregnancy outcomes, cancers and other health concerns.
Unclear is how many employees are affected and how long the water has had high contamination levels. DNR officials say they are working with 3M Greystone Plant to identify interim and long term solutions.
LaViolette said the sampled well provides water only to the Greystone plant.
Citizens for a Clean Wausau posted the sample results this week on its website. See their reporting on the issue at this link.
