PFAS

PFAS chemicals, per- and Polyfluoroalkyl substances, are known as “forever chemicals".  They do not break down easily in the environment and can be found in air, water and soil. They have been used in various industries since the 1940s, many of which are still in production today.   PFAS can be found in non-stick cookware, waterproof clothing and shoes, stains, water repellants, paints, cleaning products, personal care products, food packaging, firefighting foam, and numerous other products. In the body, PFAS concentrates in various organs, tissues and cells. High concentrations of PFAS chemicals have been linked to potential health effects. 

The City of Fitchburg tested for 32 PFAS compounds at four out of the six municipal wells in the summer of 2023. The intent of this testing was to verify that the system wells do not exceed the limits set by DHS. The City of Fitchburg is pleased to report that none of these PFAS compounds were detected in any of the City's North System wells (Wells 4, 5, 10, and 11). Low-level concentrations of four PFAS compounds were detected in the City's South System wells that were most recently tested in 2021 (Wells 7 and 8). These detected concentrations are well below the enforcement and preventative limits proposed by DHS. View Results here.

If you are serviced by the Madison Water Utility (Rimrock Road and Danville Systems) and have concerns about PFAS concentrations in the Madison wells, please visit Madison Water Utility’s website for more information.

If you have any questions in regards to PFAS, please contact Chelsea Wilson, Utility Project Engineer, at chelsea.wilson@fitchburgwi.gov.