Water Utility

Madison Water Utility will be ramping up testing at a well on East Washington Ave. after finding trace levels of compounds known as PFAS (per-and polyfluoroalkyl substances) in the well’s water. Well 15 sits just a mile from Truax Air Field, where the DNR says PFAS contamination has been discovered in shallow groundwater.

No municipal wells tested in Madison show results above the EPA’s health advisory level of 0.07 ppb (parts per billion). Still, Madison Water Utility will move from semi-annual testing at Well 15 to monthly testing during the first part of 2019. So far, test results have not shown increasing PFAS levels at the well.

Public Health Madison Dane County has put together a fact sheet on PFAS, including a look at potential health impacts of the compounds.

All testing results are posted on Madison Water Utility’s PFAS web page. The Utility has also put together a detailed timeline that provides background information on testing and communication with the DNR and WI Air National Guard.