Latest news with #AbigailHendershott
CBS News
23-05-2025
- Health
- CBS News
How does Ann Arbor clean PFAS from its drinking water? City officials explain.
PFAS, or "forever chemicals," were first detected in Ann Arbor's drinking water in 2014. Two years later, the city performed a follow-up investigation and detected PFAS in the Huron River. The river supplies the city with 85% of its drinking water. "We traced it up to upstream manufacturing facilities and wastewater treatment plant discharges," said Ann Arbor Water Treatment Services manager Molly Maciejewski. "So, it was really industrial discharges that caused it, but we also know that there could be other sources of PFAS in the Huron River." PFAS are highly stable, man-made chemicals used in many items. They're typically used to repel water, oil and grease from surfaces. PFAS spread easily and do not biodegrade naturally, making cleanup a challenge. "Michigan was one of the first in the country to actually sample all of the drinking water supplies," said Abigail Hendershott, the executive director of the Michigan PFAS Action Response Team. Hendershott said PFAS are all around us. They're found in clothing, furniture, cleaning products, outdoor gear, cosmetics and more. "Most everybody in the country is going to have some concentrations of PFAS already in our blood because of the widespread use of PFAS in our everyday society," she said. After extensive testing, officials at the Ann Arbor Water Treatment found an effective solution. "We use granular-activated carbon filtration," said drinking water quality manager Becky Lahr. "So, you can see here the media inside the filter. The water travels from the top down through the filter, and the PFAS gets stuck within the media." Lahr told CBS News Detroit the method filters out PFAS to below detectable levels in the drinking water. "We are constantly monitoring the water quality before and after this process to make sure it's working right," Lahr said. "Ann Arbor has been very aggressive in their actions, and we, of course, applaud them for that because they're being very proactive in protecting their residents," said Hendershott. "We want to make sure that the residents who are drinking this water are protected long term, that we're not just protecting for one or two chemicals, but we're protecting for the whole suite of PFAS chemicals."
Yahoo
16-04-2025
- Health
- Yahoo
Officials stunned after discovering source of dangerous contamination in town's drinking water: 'It's a terrible situation'
State officials investigating the source of toxic chemicals in residential wells in the town of Cadillac, Michigan, found that common household products may be contaminating residents' drinking water. As Bridge Michigan reported, ever since residents discovered PFAS, or perfluoroalkyl and polyfluoroalkyl substances, in their private wells after getting their water tested, they've been anxiously awaiting answers from the state about the cause of the pollution. Many believed the dangerous chemicals had come from the Cadillac Industrial Park near their homes, as the community has spent decades cleaning up volatile organic compounds and hexavalent chromium that leached into groundwater from local manufacturers. But after officials tested water from 70 wells near the park, they discovered a surprising probable culprit behind the town's tainted water: everyday household products, such as shaving cream, laundry detergent, toilet paper, and shampoo. All these items contain PFAS, and when residents and local businesses flush them down the drain, they enter septic systems and contaminate liquids from the sewage. Eventually, these toxic chemicals leach into groundwater. While officials haven't definitively identified household products as the cause of the contaminated wells, they believe it's the most plausible explanation since most tests "lacked any clear link to the industrial park," noted Bridge Michigan. "We're not seeing that smoking gun, so to speak," Abigail Hendershott, executive director of the Michigan PFAS Action Response Team at the Michigan Department of Environment, Great Lakes, and Energy, told the news outlet. However, she noted that heavy industry rather than septic systems likely polluted the wells in the industrial park's immediate vicinity. "It's a terrible situation," added City Manager Marcus Peccia. "And it's a situation in which Cadillac is absolutely not unique." Since PFAS are extremely pervasive and persistent in the environment, they can take hundreds of years to break down. As they build up in groundwater that residents rely on for drinking and cleaning, they can cause numerous health problems. How often do you worry about the quality of your drinking water? Never Sometimes Often Always Click your choice to see results and speak your mind. PFAS have been linked to a range of conditions, including cancer, thyroid disease, poor immunity, reproductive disorders, and developmental delays. With so many homes in the same area relying on untreated water from private wells, it can lead to a shocking level of PFAS exposure since thousands of household products contain the chemicals, per a University of Queensland study. "These are a very large class of chemicals, and very few of them have been regulated for safety before they got out onto the market," Erica Bloom, the Ann Arbor-based Ecology Center's toxics campaign director, told Bridge Michigan. The state is distributing water filters to residents with PFAS-tainted wells, and Cadillac is seeking funds to cover the cost of switching residents to city water. Officials have also urged residents to get their wells tested for PFAS through a certified lab. In addition, households can limit the amount of PFAS entering their septic systems by shopping for PFAS-free products. However, this takes dedication since the chemicals are in a vast array of products and at times aren't clearly labeled. Michigan's Department of Environment, Great Lakes, and Energy provided the town of Pellston, which also had high concentrations of PFAS in water samples, with a grant to research and develop alternative water supplies. Perhaps something similar can be done for Cadillac residents until a more permanent solution is found. Companies are working on removing PFAS from wastewater using new technology. The system is affordable and scalable, so it's possible it could be used to treat contaminated water in septic systems. Join our free newsletter for easy tips to save more and waste less, and don't miss this cool list of easy ways to help yourself while helping the planet.
