Below is the latest press release from the EPA about the Menominee Industrial Fire, issued Friday evemning: PFAS Investigation Continues in Menominee and Marinette, Wisconsin Drinking Water.
The federal and state agencies responding to the warehouse fire in Menominee, Michigan, announced that treated drinking water results received to date for the cities of Menominee and Marinette, Wisconsin, show PFAS levels below Michigan or Wisconsin health based or regulatory standards for measured PFAS compound.
Michigan and Wisconsin have evaluated the risks and determined that public risks to these PFAS currently are considered low. If future sampling shows results above state health based or regulatory standards, further action will be taken, and residents will be notified immediately.
PFAS are a large group of human-made chemicals that do not occur naturally in the environment. PFAS chemicals were released during the on-going Menominee warehouse fire and entered the Menominee River. As the investigation continues, residents should be aware results could change.
State and federal agencies and water utilities will continue to sample drinking water plant intakes and treated drinking water leaving the plants. The responding agencies will collect drinking water samples to analyze for industrial chemicals. Results will be posted following data review for quality assurance.
Test results for treated drinking water samples collected from Monday, October 11, and Tuesday, October 12, showed higher levels of some types of PFAS in the water than previously seen in past sampling by the cities, indicating an impact from the fire.
Despite this impact, all levels of PFAS compounds detected in treated drinking water remain below any Michigan or Wisconsin maximum contaminant level (MCL) or health based standard. At this time, area residents may continue drinking and using their water as usual.
The PFAS compounds found in the Menominee treated drinking water are: 6:2-FTS, PFHxA, PFPeS, and PFBA; and in Marinette treated drinking water are: PFHxA, PFHpA, and PFBS. Four years of monitoring data of the Menominee Public Water Supply found no detections of 6:2-FTS, PFHxA, or PFPeA.
In Marinette, water levels of PFHxA have shown an increase while PFHpA and PFBS have been detected for the first time.EPA and other research organizations are actively working to better understand potential health risks for the other PFAS in drinking water.
If you are concerned about PFAS in your drinking water, there are several steps you can take to find out if PFAS is in your drinking water and if it is, reduce your exposure.
If residents have concerns or questions, please call 211. If you live in Wisconsin, the direct number is: 877-947-2211. If you live in Michigan, the direct number is: (800) 338-1119.
On October 6, 2022, a warehouse fire in Menominee spread to adjacent storage portions of the building at the site. The large fire required multiple fire departments to fight the fire.
Firefighting water overwhelmed the storage capacity of responders and entered the Menominee river, potentially contaminated with industrial chemicals and PFAS stored on-site. A multi-agency response of local, state and federal agencies was formed to assist the fire departments and collect air and water samples to determine any threats to the public from the fire and water runoff. This effort continues.
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