PFAS Testing at Well 9

press release: Public meeting: PFAS Testing at Well 9 on Spaanem Ave.

January 30, 6:30 p.m., Sennett Middle School - Dowden Auditorium

We’ve gotten a lot of concerned calls from customers who live in the Well 9 pdf  area related to a recent story in the Isthmus. In 2019, Madison Water Utility tested Well 9 for 30 different PFAS compounds. The 51.55 part per trillion PFAS concentration that was reported in the story is a total of the 9 types of PFAS that were found present in Well 9. About 80% of that total comes from one compound called PFBA. Currently there is no Federal or Wisconsin guideline for PFBA in drinking water. The only guideline we do have comes from Minnesota’s Department of Health, which has a recommended standard for PFBA of 7,000 parts per trillion. The amount of PFBA in Well 9 is 42 parts per trillion. We will continue to monitor Well 9 along with the other wells in Madison. If anyone has questions or concerns about PFAS detections in Well 9 or any other Madison well, please attend the meeting if possible. An environmental epidemiologist from Public Health Madison Dane County will be on hand, as will Madison Water Utility's Water Quality Manager, who oversees all drinking water testing for the city. If you cannot attend but have questions, please call MWU's Water Quality Department at (608) 266-4654 or email water@madisonwater.org.