Pollution concerns lead to bottled water for French Island
MADISON, Wis. (AP) — The Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources said Thursday that the state will provide free bottled water to about 4,300 residents of French Island in La Crosse County due to concerns about groundwater pollution from PFAS “forever chemicals” that have been linked to causing cancer and a wide array of other illnesses.
The chemicals were first detected in French Island wells in 2014. The contamination has been traced to several plane crashes at La Crosse Regional Airport, where PFAS- containing firefighting foam was used, as well as routine yearly testing of foam by the airport. The chemicals are believed to have spread into groundwater from near the airport on the northern part of the island to its southern half.
Tests have revealed at least 184 private wells around the airport contain some level of PFAS and of those 61 exceed the state’s PFAS standard for the chemical, said Darsi Foss, administrator of the Department of Natural Resources Division of Environmental Management.
The state Department of Natural Resources said Thursday that it was working with other state agencies to provide bottled water to all residents on the island. The city of La Crosse has been providing bottled water only to residents within an investigation area, even as those outside the area have been requesting bottled water for months.
Read more: https://dailyreporter.com/2021/03/26/pollution-concerns-lead-to-bottled-water-for-french-island/
(Milwaukee Daily Reporter)