Nine wells in Franklin County found with high PFAS levels

• Unnati Akhouri
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The Letterkenny Army Depot says nine wells it tested in Franklin County have a PFAS concentration higher than the limit set by the Environmental Protection Agency.

The depot said in a statement that a team will investigate where the PFAS came from. 

Todd Wivell with the depot said that in cases where the test results pose an unacceptable risk to human health and environment based on EPA’s risk assessment policies, the army will work to clean up the well. 

PFAS are found in everyday things like fast-food containers, non-stick cookware and waterproof clothing and can contaminate air, soil and groundwater. Extended exposure and high concentrations of PFAS are linked to health problems like cancer, reproductive issues and developmental delays in children.

The chemicals are also used for putting out fires and for waterproofing. Because of that, concentration of PFAS is especially high near army establishments that historically used foam for fire training exercises and chrome-plating. 

The National Defense Authorization Act banned the chemical in 2020 and required army sites test water in areas close to the sites where PFAS could have spread, and to work on clean-up. 

The depot said that since the ban, Letterkenny’s Fire and Emergency Services now use other materials. 

The 88 wells tested in April are owned by people or businesses who had responded to the depot’s call for testing earlier this year. 

Well-owners who missed out can get their water tested by the Department of Environmental Protection’s certified labs or reach out to the Letterkenny Army depot on their website. 

Faith Kibuye, water resources extension associate at Penn State, noted that private wells are not regulated by the federal or state government, and the owners are responsible for testing their wells annually and for treating them. 

In April 2024, the EPA finalized a rule under the Safe Water Drinking Act that sets the first-ever national drinking water standard, which includes a legally enforceable level of PFAS in drinking water. 

The EPA set the maximum contamination limit at 4 parts per trillion. That’s one gallon of milk in the amount of water that passes through Niagara Falls in one day. 

In a PFAS factsheet, the EPA said that the maximum contamination limit applies to public water systems and is not a requirement for private wells, but the levels set in the rule can be a guide for owners concerned about PFAS. 

Kibuye pointed out that people can buy filters and attach them to faucets or to pipers coming out of a well. The filters can cost between $25-$1,600, depending on the size and how frequently they have to be replaced.

Kibuye said people should look for filters that are certified by the National Sanitation Foundation or the Water Quality Association.

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