Part of Waverly's water supply has 'forever chemicals’ that exceed limits set by EPA

A well that supplies drinking water to the east side of Waverly has elevated levels of two toxic chemicals that persist indefinitely and are newly regulated by the federal government.

Tests in January of one of the town's four wells revealed that it has concentrations of two so-called "forever chemicals" that exceed limits set by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency last year.

The perfluoroalkyl and polyfluoroalkyl substances — commonly known as PFAS — can accumulate in people's bodies and have been linked to a variety of illnesses and cancers.

They have been used for decades to make consumer products that repel water and oil, such as non-stick cooking pans and stain-resistant fabrics. Significant groundwater contaminations have occurred near airports, landfills and places where the chemicals have been produced.

The source of the Waverly contamination is not yet clear, said Corey McCoid, an Iowa Department of Natural Resources supervisor who oversees water supply compliance.

The town's four wells pump water independently into its distribution system, which serves about 10,400 people, according to DNR data.

Tests of the contaminated well showed its water had PFOA in a concentration of 6.3 parts per trillion. The new federal limit is 4 parts per trillion.

It also had PFHxS in a concentration of 15 parts per trillion, whereas its federal limit is 10.

The actual PFAS concentrations in Waverly drinking water likely vary by location in the city because the water from the wells commingle in the distribution system. Two of the other wells have not had detections of PFAS, and one had a different PFAS chemical in a low concentration.

Waverly plans to notify residents of the contamination

The EPA is requiring public water supplies to complete tests for PFAS of their water by 2027 and to comply with the new limits by 2029.

Some cities have idled contaminated wells. That’s possible for Waverly, said its public works director, Justin McGlaun. But he said the city might wait until next year to make that decision to allow for further testing.

The city has not yet notified residents of the contamination but will soon, McGlaun said.

The well lies in an area that is highly susceptible to contamination from the surface of the ground, according to a 2008 DNR assessment. It is about 150 feet deep and was drilled in 1990. State data shows it also has had the highest nitrate concentrations of the town's wells.

The DNR has been testing water supplies in recent years to identify the scope of PFAS contamination in Iowa. Those tests have revealed elevated concentrations in the drinking water of several cities along the Mississippi River, which itself is contaminated.

The treated drinking water of Central City, north of Cedar Rapids, had very high PFAS concentrations when it was tested in 2022. The city stopped using one of its two wells to fix the problem.

McCoid said the DNR has plans to test roughly 800 more water supplies by the end of next year.

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