Earlier this year, I received a letter in the mail from the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources with directions on acquiring a free sample kit to test our well water for PFAS. Towns near our home with a large acreage of agricultural fields are known to have high contamination levels, and our home’s proximity to agricultural fields similar to those locations make it an area of concern.
Thanks to my position here, I was quite familiar with PFAS and glad to do the test. I’d be lying if I said I was not worried about the results. Luckily, zero levels of contamination were detected.
I’m not sure what we would have done had high levels of contamination been found during testing. My wife and I love our property and have every intention of staying there forever and raising our family. Part of the reason is that we love using the resources that come with the land. We have multiple apple trees that we harvest from each fall, canning applesauce and pie filling, we plant and harvest from a large garden each summer, we enjoy collecting wild berries, and I use the land to hunt as venison is a relied-upon protein source each year.
Sure, we would have taken the necessary steps to treat the well water coming into our home, but what about all those things that would be indirect sources of PFAS consumption?
For me, this was a quick reminder of how much we don’t know about what is to come in the future of environmental concerns. PFAS weren’t even a thing before the 1930s, and it took over 50 years to realize that the substances were creating a crisis. What will be the next thing that comes down the line that affects the way we live and the way you work?
Cause and effect
Tightening regulations on microplastics and PFAS are changing how pumping businesses operate. For decades, the industry operated under a relatively straightforward premise: Pump it out, haul it away and dispose of it responsibly at a treatment plant or through designated land application.
Because environmental agencies have set strict limits on PFAS in drinking water, wastewater treatment plants are facing heavy pressure to keep these chemicals out of their systems. As a result, many municipal plants are passing that pressure down to the independent pumpers who dump at their facilities. Some plants have started testing incoming loads while others are outright rejecting waste. This leaves haulers with fewer disposal options, longer travel times and higher tipping fees.
These contaminants are also affecting traditional land application programs. Spreading biosolids on agricultural fields has historically been a cost-effective way to recycle nutrients, but concern over soil and groundwater contamination has led several states to restrict or completely ban the practice. Without land application, contractors must haul waste to specialized landfills or thermal disposal facilities, which significantly increases operating costs.
Bigger picture
As with anything water and wastewater related these days, the personal situation regarding the testing made me think of you all. I was worried about how a single test result would impact my life. The realization that you have to worry about test results from the entire area you service was eye-opening as any one of them could impact your life by disrupting your livelihood.
It was once again another reminder that we should all be thankful for what you do everyday to protect the environment and public health. I’d love to hear about how PFAS, or other similar issues are affecting the way you have to do business. Please reach out to me anytime at editor@pumper.com to enlighten me and share your story.
Thanks for reading, and pumping!
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