09/17/2020- Sampling for PFAS contamination in more than 500 private drinking wells located in an expanded site investigation area surrounding Marinette and the Town of Peshtigo will get underway in the next several weeks. The Wisconsin DNR provided that update at a public listening session held Wednesday. For months, the DNR has been notifying JCI/Tyco of a need to test these additional wells for PFAS contamination- a request which was ultimately denied by the company who cited a belief that it’s not feasible their compounds traveled the distance or direction of the new locations in question. The DNR has now committed to taking on that sampling work and will seek cost recovery from JCI/Tyco for it. Bridget Kelly with the DNR says property owners in the expanded site investigation area will be contacted by the DNR over the next two weeks about the work and the testing itself for 36 different PFAS analytes should begin by mid-October.

The DNR is also now working with JCI/Tyco on the recent discovery of high PFAS levels downstream of a treatment system placed in Ditch B in Marinette which was originally installed to capture and remediate contaminated water and then release it back to the ditch. Kelly says while immediate action will up the capacity of that treatment system, other efforts to intercept the contaminated groundwater before it reaches the ditch are about a year out.

The DNR and JCI/Tyco will meet in October to discuss long-term remedial actions for contamination at the company’s Fire Technology Center. The next public listening session on the local PFAS contamination issue is scheduled for November 18th.