This is a “Top Ten” list no city wants to be on.
Area of west of Decatur, AL. Google Earth photo.
The Daily Mail has published a story on the top ten locations in the United States with the highest levels of PFAS-contaminated drinking water.
Decatur, AL has been struggling with water contamination, including drinking water and pollution of Wheeler Lake, for the past several years. Making this “Top Ten” list indicates the problem may not have been solved. The area was also included in an “Eating Fish Warning” from the Alabama Department of Public Health.
The article noted that “These microscopic, man-made chemicals [PFAS]can take thousands of years to break down in the environment or in the human body, hence the name ‘forever chemicals’. The main purpose of PFAS compounds is to repel water and oil, which is what makes non-stick cookware so much easier to clean and why certain jackets and tents can withstand rain.”
“PFAS can seep into the water supply by simply washing the dishes. The compounds can also seep into our food if the packaging is made to be grease-resistant – think fast food cheeseburgers – or if the non-stick coating on pots and pans begins to deteriorate. PFAS are also common in pesticides used to feed crops, which produces chemical-rich runoff that can enter the drinking water supply.”
Researchers from the US Geological Survey tested water sources at more than 700 locations across the country.
There are no current enforceable national drinking water standards according to the Daily Mail. “However, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) limits PFAS to 0.004 parts per trillion (ppt) for drinking water, a small amount due to their links to cancer, infertility, obesity, and autism.”
The Environmental Working Group, an activist organization centered on environmental pollutants, mapped out the communities and military sites confirmed to have PFAS contamination.
Neighborhoods with the highest PFAS levels in drinking water
(Concentrations are measured in parts per trillion (PPT))
1. Brunswick County, N.C. at 185.9ppt
2. Quad Cities, Iowa at 109.8ppt
3. Miami, Fla. at 56.7ppt
4. Bergen County, N.J. at 51.4ppt
5. Wilmington, N.C. at 50.5ppt
6. Philadelphia, Pa. at 46.3ppt
7. Louisville, Ky. at 45.2ppt
8. New Orleans, La. at 41.8ppt
9. Charleston, S.C. at 33.3ppt
10. Decatur, Ala. at 24.1ppt
Information courtesy of a separate report by the Environmental Working Group
3M is one of the country’s largest producers of PFAS. The manufacturing plant’s products include adhesives for Post-It-Notes, golf clubs, non-stick cooking pans, and LCD displays.
The PFAS water contamination of Decatur, AL, and Wheeler Lake in North Alabama is reportedly the result of 3M dumping chemicals into the Tennessee River and leeching from contaminated landfills.
The Daily Mail said, “Experts said the findings were ‘frightening’ given the scale of the problem and the link between the toxins and serious health conditions like cancer, infertility, birth defects, and hormone issues.”
Related stories on Southern Fishing News:
The Alabama Department of Environmental Management continues to monitor the Perflourochemical situation in Alabama’s Morgan and Lawrence counties (Wheeler Lake).
Enter the Proposed Alabama SHOR Act Southern Fishing News has published several articles regarding river and lake pollution notably on Wheeler Lake as well as publishing Alabama Fish Advisories. The story list includes:
DailyMail.com has published a story relating to PFOA in freshwater fish. Many stories have been published regarding PFOA, “Forever Chemicals”, found in Wheeler Lake located in North Alabama. The chemical pollution has been attributed to a Decatur 3M plant and/or 3M landfill dumping.
The Alabama Department of Environmental Management has published the 2020 fish consumption report. Read the full report here.
By Don Gowen (Regarding an article, 3M reveals grand jury subpoena involving Decatur plant, global layoffs By Eric Fleischauer Metro Editor, Decatur Daily, January 29, 2020. Available on decaturdaily.com) What is very telling by this article are the statements issued by Mr. Roman that “3M is cooperating with this inquiry” and that the recent charge […]
Ron McDonald Publisher & Editor I stumbled across a documentary on Netflix, “The Devil We Knew”. The movie begins with the advent of C8 (the chemical used to make Teflon and hundreds of other products) in West Virginia. The effects of C8 on humans and animals is astounding, to say the least.
Ron McDonald Publisher/Editor Southern Fishing News Jay Johnson, his wife and two children load up the boat and hit the water every Saturday for a day of fishing and swimming. The fishing goes pretty well with several bass and bluegill tucked away in the livewell. The kids get tired of fishing, as kids do, […]
Ron McDonald Publisher/Editor Southern Fishing News Southern Fishing News (SFN) posted a perfluorooctane sulfonate (PFOS) warning on the SFN Facebook page in response to an Advisory from the Alabama Department of Public Health (ADPH) for a segment of Wheeler Lake seven miles long. This “Advisory” was published on a specific location on the Internet.
The SHOR Act The SHOR Act passed unanimously in the Alabama House on Tuesday and the Alabama Senate companion bill, SB 105, passed favorably out of the Healthcare Committee in the Senate on May 3, 2023.
The 2021 Alabama Fish Consumption Advisory has been published. The advisory lists specific locations where the fish have been exposed to toxic substances such as mercury, PCBs, and PFOS.
The Alabama Department of Environmental Management has published the 2020 fish consumption report.
By Don Gowen (Regarding an article, 3M reveals grand jury subpoena involving Decatur plant, global layoffs By Eric Fleischauer Metro Editor, Decatur Daily, January 29, 2020. Available on decaturdaily.com) What is very telling by this article are the statements issued by Mr. Roman that “3M is cooperating with this inquiry” and that the recent charge […]
The city of Decatur, AL and the nearby industrial park have been the focus for PFOA and PFOS contamination into Wheeler Lake. Decatur experienced wastewater overflows from sewer systems recently in the midst of record rainfall in the southeastern U.S. and specifically in North Alabama.
The Decatur Daily, Decatur AL (tournament home for Wheeler Lake) published an article regarding a settlement in Minnesota between 3M and the state that alleged 3M damaged natural resources and contaminated groundwater by disposing of chemicals over decades. The settlement was to the tune of $850 million for damages.
Wheeler Lake in North Alabama is a popular location for many national circuit tournaments as well as state and national high school and college events with a high number of participants. This tournament activity is in addition to area and local circuit fishing tournaments, area club tournaments and individual fishermen. Some release everything caught and […]
Morgan County Board of Education and Hyosung USA have applied to the Alabama Department of Environmental Management for discharging liquids into the Tennessee River at Decatur, Alabama. Decatur has been in the center of controversy over the discharge of PFOS and PFOA pollutants into the Tennessee River.
Preface: Toxicology Branch works with public and medical communities, as well as other agencies to examine whether and how exposure to environmental factors (e.g., toxic materials, noise, dust, heat, mold) where people live, work, learn, and play may harm the public’s health. Toxicological support is provided to assist other agencies or organizations by providing answers to questions […]
Southern Fishing News has published three stories, four with this addition, on the PFOA and PFOS contamination of at least one area of Wheeler Lake in north Alabama. To review these go to: https://southernfishingnews.com/news-stories/commentary-on-pfos-part-one-what-is-pfos-and-are-there-any-dangers : https://southernfishingnews.com/news-stories/commentary-part-two-pfos-and-the-fisherman : and https://southernfishingnews.com/news-stories/one-year-later-toxins-discovered-in-wheeler-lake. In a Spring 2013 EPA Factsheet these findings were reported: • Accumulation of PFOA and PFOS in blood […]
Almost one year ago to the day Southern Fishing News published two stories about the contamination of Wheeler Lake: COMMENTARY ON PFOS PART ONE: What is PFOS and are there any dangers (https://southernfishingnews.com/news-stories/commentary-on-pfos part-one-what-is-pfos-and-are-there-any-dangers); COMMENTARY PART TWO: PFOS and the Fisherman (https://southernfishingnews.com/news-stories/commentary-part-two-pfos-and-the-fisherman). Now, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has lowered the acceptable limits for two industrial […]
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Excellent article.
July 10th, 2023