Six months ago, elevated levels of a pollutant called PFAS were found in several private water wells in a community south of Tallahassee. Now the issue appears to be a bigger threat than first thought.
The elevated levels of PFAS, or "forever chemicals," might be linked to a city wastewater spray field near Woodville, south of Tallahassee, according to local officials and retired scientists at a news conference on Monday.
Tallahassee City Commissioner Jeremy Matlow and Leon County Commissioner Bill Proctor said they plan to ask the Florida Department of Environmental Protection to look into the issue.
Former Florida A&M University environmental professor Dan Axelrad says the fact these chemicals don't break down is only part of the problem.
"Yes, they are forever chemicals. But they could also be called 'everywhere chemicals,' because we use PFAS in thousands of applications in our homes and commercially," Axelrad said at the news conference at Tallahassee City Hall.
Tallahassee allergist Dr. Ron Saff said the substances are linked to serious health concerns, especially when found in drinking water: "Cancer and developmental delays in children, reproductive health harms, immunosuppression."
Geologist Fred Kocher said the most likely source for the pollution is the city of Tallahassee's Southeast Farm spray field.
A spray field is a designated land area used to dispose of treated wastewater by spraying it over the ground surface.
"As the spray water flows toward Wakulla Springs and passes through Woodville, ground water samples collected from numerous private wells in Woodville reveal PFAS concentrations exceeding established regulatory limits for drinking water," Kocher said.
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