Poisoned Wells in Wisconsin Expose a National Crisis of Unsafe Drinking Water

The crisis unfolding in Stella, Wisconsin shows why the contamination of drinking water is a form of environmental oppression that must end. What began as a simple decision by resident Kristen Hanneman to accept a free well test turned into a nightmare that exposed how entire communities are left unprotected while corporations and governments avoid responsibility.

When state scientists tested her private well in 2022, the results were shocking. A toxicologist called and told her to stop drinking the water immediately because it contained PFAS chemicals “thousands of times higher than federal drinking water limits.” Hanneman later wondered aloud, “Had I just thrown that survey in the garbage, would any of this be where it is today?”

Her family was not alone. Officials now warn that fish and deer in the area should be eaten sparingly or not at all. Property values have collapsed. Long-time residents feel trapped, unable to sell homes that sit on poisoned land. Across the nation, similar stories are playing out near factories and military sites where PFAS has quietly seeped into groundwater for decades.

These chemicals, often called forever chemicals because they do not break down, accumulate in human organs and are linked to cancers and developmental problems. Yet roughly 40 million Americans rely on private wells that are not covered by federal drinking water rules. Short of a random test, most people never learn their water is unsafe.

At least 20 states rarely test private wells unless contamination is already suspected. Even where testing occurs, help is slow and resources are scarce. As environmental attorney Robert Bilott explained, “The well owners,  the victims of the contamination, shouldn’t have to be paying. But where’s this money going to come from?”

In Stella, investigators believe the pollution originated from a paper mill that spread PFAS-laden sludge on farm fields for years with state approval. Companies now claim they followed the rules, while residents live with the consequences. Bottled water has become a way of life. Filters and new wells cost tens of thousands of dollars, and some families who drilled deeper still found contamination.

State officials admit the limits of their support. “We’re doing the best that we can with the funding that we have available,” one supervisor said, an answer that offers little comfort.

Link: AP News