14-06-2025
Hales Corners PFAS, water conversion project breaks ground
The Brief
A water conversion project broke ground in Hales Corners on Friday.
The project aims to address PFAS issues for more than 100 households.
The village said the $6.5 million project is expected to be completed in November.
HALES CORNERS, Wis. - A water conversion project broke ground in Hales Corners on Friday, aiming to address so-called "forever chemical" issues for more than 100 households.
What they're saying
Having safe drinking water has been a struggle for some Hales Corners residents. April Kindschi's home is one of 188 impacted by PFAS.
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"We've installed a filtration system, and my husband tests it and changes the filters all the time," she said. "We have this little counter that measures the particles and makes sure that it's safe."
It's a process Kindschi has adapted into her home for the past two years after PFAS contamination was found in the groundwater her home uses.
"We've been monitoring the water when we first got notification that our well had issues," she said.
What they're saying
The village said the $6.5 million water conversion project is expected to be completed in November.
"The way the project works is that the village of Hales Corners finances it, we build it to the specifications of the city of Milwaukee Water Works, and then the project is turned over to the city of Milwaukee," village president Dan Besson said.
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U.S. Rep. Bryan Steil, whose district includes Hales Corners, said he stepped up after village leaders contacted him about the issue.
"The city of Milwaukee will own the water line that's here in the village of Hales Corners. That's a technical problem," he said. "What's right is making sure families have safe drinking water."
FOX6 News reached out to Milwaukee Water Works about the project but did not hear back by the deadline for this story.
The backstory
PFAS, or perfluoroalkyl and polyfluoroalkyl substances, have shown up in water supplies across the region. They've been found in things like nonstick frying pans, food packaging, waterproof clothing, cosmetics and firefighting foam for decades.
In 2024, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency said the chemicals may lead to decreased fertility, increased risk of some cancers and more.
The Source
FOX6 News attended Friday's water conversion project groundbreaking and spoke to stakeholders for information in this report. Information about PFAS is from prior coverage of the contaminants.
