LACROSSE, Wis. – Private wells on French Island have been found contaminated with the man-made “forever chemical,” a carcenogenic called PFAS. Forty home wells have been inspected. French island separates the Mississippi and Black rivers in the north LaCrosse enclave of Campbell. The LaCrosse airport occupies much of the island. Firefighters at the airport used the PFAS foam for years. The chemical quickly extinguishes fuel fires. Once in the ground the chemical spreads through the soil into groundwater and doesn’t break down. So far, 40 French Island wells have been inspected. Almost 60 more wells remain to be tested. John Storlie, a consultant on the project, said the City of LaCrosse has spent $500,000 on testing so far. PFAS were first detected in two city wells on French Island in 2015.
PFAS profile
Poly- and perfluoroalkyl substances,”PFAS” for xhort, are man-made chemicals that do not break down in nature. Hence they’re called “forever chemicals.” PFAS were widely used beginning n the 1940s for non-stick cookware, stain-resistant fabrics and fire-fighting foam. PFAS isn’t safe in excess of 20 parts per trillion. That’s like 20 drops in an Olympics swimming pool. Exposure can lead to infertility, cancer and thyroid disease. PFAS have been phased out in the United States.
French Island. The LaCrosse airport dominates northern French island at the foot of Lake Onalaska and between the south-flowing Mississippi River, on your left, and the Black River.