KALISPELL — The City of Kalispell has issued a new consumer drinking water notice after new testing revealed that one of the Public Water System wells has PFAS higher than the newly established limits set by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).
PFAS are manufactured chemicals that can cause adverse health effects such as cancer immune system effects, developmental issues and reproductive effects after too much exposure.
Testing results of Grandview Well #2 showed PFAS levels at 13 parts per trillion. The new EPA limit is 4 parts per trillion.
The PFHxS levels – a subtype of PFAS -- tested at 11 parts per trillion, which is just above the newly set limit of 10 parts per trillion.
City officials say they have applied for funding to address PFAS exposure — such as replacement or treatment of the water sources — and plan on doing another round of water testing this summer.
The City of Kalispell will be hosting a public workshop to discuss PFAS on June 10, 2024.
The City of Kalispell provided the following information:
What are PFAS?
PFAS are a group of man-made chemicals that have been in use since the 1940s. PFAS are (or have been) found in a wide variety of consumer products and as an ingredient in firefighting foam. PFAS manufacturing and processing facilities, airports, and military installations are some of the contributors of PFAS releases into the air, soil, and water. Because of their widespread use, most people have been exposed to PFAS and there is evidence that exposure to certain PFAS may lead to adverse health effects.
Health Effects of Exposure to PFAS?
Exposure to PFAS may result in a wide range of adverse health outcomes, including:
- developmental effects including to fetuses after exposure during pregnancy or postnatal development (e.g., low birth weight, accelerated puberty, skeletal variations, development of the immune system);
- cancer (e.g., testicular, kidney);
- liver effects (e.g., cellular lesions);
- immune effects (e.g., decreased antibody response to vaccination, decreased immune response immunity);
- thyroid effects and other effects (e.g., cholesterol changes).
For More Information
City of Kalispell Contacts:
- Contact Name: Joe Schrader, Utility Management Superintendent
- Contact Phone and email: 406-758-7989, jschrader@kalispell.com
For information on PFAS, including the new Rule, basic information, and health outcomes, you may visit these websites:
- PFAS Rule, Biden-Harris Administration Finalizes First-Ever National Drinking Water Standard to Protect 100M People from PFAS Pollution | US EPA
- Basic information, EPA actions to address PFAS, and links to informational resources: https://www.epa.gov/pfas
- Health information, exposure, and links to additional resources for PFAS in drinking water: www.epa.gov/ground-water-and-drinking-water/drinking-water-health-advisories-pfoa-and-pfos
