A well that supplies drinking water to the east side of Waverly has elevated levels of “forever chemicals”, according to The Gazette. The substances, known as PFAS, can accumulate in people’s bodies and have been linked to a variety of illnesses and cancers. They are used to make consumer products that repel water and oil, such as non-stick cooking pans and stain-resistant fabrics. The limit for one of the chemicals is 4 parts per trillion, but in this well levels were at 6.3 parts per trillion. The other chemical is limited to 10 parts per trillion, but it the well was at 15 parts per trillion. The exact source of the contamination is not yet clear. It is unclear what the city plans to do to mitigate the issue but public works director Justin McGlaun told the Gazette that they may wait until next year to make that decision to allow for further testing. The contaminated well was designated as being highly susceptible to contamination by the DNR back in 2008.
