Preliminary and final results are now in for 98 water wells on fields where biosolids from both the Marinette and Peshtigo City Wastewater Treatment facilities were spread under a permit from the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources (WNDR). Out of the 98 wells tested, 94 wells tested below the U.S. EPA health advisory level (HAL), and are broken down below:
- In a significant majority of the wells, 74 of the 98 wells (more than 75%), there was no PFAS present.
- In an additional 17 wells – or 91 of the 98 wells tested to date – the level of PFAS was below the Wisconsin Advisory level for groundwater of 20 parts per trillion (ppt).
- In three more wells – or 94 of the 98 wells – the level of PFAS was below the Federal Health Advisory Level (HAL) of 70 ppt.
- Four wells had levels above the 70 ppt. These were a previously reported well at 1,156ppt and three other wells at 111, 142, and 142 ppt. respectively.
Of the results received to date, nine are final and 89 are preliminary. While most of the results are preliminary, it is encouraging that the vast majority show little or no presence of PFAS.
As soon as the preliminary results were received, homeowners whose wells tested above the 20ppt level were contacted by Tyco and immediately offered bottled water. The WDNR publicly stated that it ordered Tyco to provide the water. This is inaccurate. Tyco offered this bottled water service voluntarily. Simultaneously, Tyco informed the DNR of the results and the offer of bottled water to the impacted residents.
Once preliminary results are received by Arcadis, our environmental consultant, a quality check process is conducted before being certified as final.
The preliminary results are shown in the following chart.
| Wells | Results Category |
| 74 | Not detected |
| 10 | Below reporting limit[1] |
| 7 | Between reporting limit and 20 PPT |
| 3 | Between 20 and 70 PPT |
| 4 | Above 70 PPT |
The testing began on March 2 and was suspended on March 16 because of health concerns related to the Coronavirus outbreak. Seventy-two wells are still to be sampled when testing resumes.
[1] The reporting limit, approximately 1.8 parts per trillion, refers to limitations inherent in the tests themselves. A finding below the reporting limit means the actual result is somewhere between 0 and 1.8 ppt.
