Tom Ladow has been eating fish he caught from Lake Snowden for years without worry, but now he’s starting to wonder if they might be bad for his health after finding high levels of ‘eternal chemicals’ in the water.
“You hate to think you’re eating something contaminated, but I’ve been fishing at Lake Snowden for years,” he said. “So I don’t know if stopping immediately would make any difference.”
Snowden Lake is one of several bodies of water located near the community of Stella in Oneida County, where some of the highest levels of PFAS have been found in the private wells of dozens of residents. Finding the water they use for drinking, cooking and bathing has already been a blow to society, but knowing that fishing can be unsafe is another blow.
“It’s shocking,” Lado said. “We don’t know where we’re going with this.”
Stella’s well water tested up to 36,000 parts per trillion (ppt) PFAS, which dwarfs the recommended federal standard of 4 parts per trillion and the state standard of 70 parts per trillion. The numbers are probably some of the highest in the country.
To date, the Department of Natural Resources has sampled 114 private wells in Stella, which is located about 10 miles east of Rhinelander. Of these 49 had PFAS levels above state limits, 32 had detections below limits and 33 were not. According to DNR Information, 47 health advisory letters have been sent out, making homeowners eligible for free bottled water.
DNR has also begun examining surface water in the area, testing it in dozens of places, including the Pelican River, the Wisconsin River, and several small lakes near Stella.
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Patrick Gorski, Emerging Pollutants Research Scientist at DNR, said surface water pollution likely stems from groundwater in the area.
“Groundwater tends to flow into surface water, so we think it’s linked together,” he said.
The agency is still working to find out the extent of contamination in both ground and surface water, but sampling is ongoing to try to get an idea.
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To date, some of the highest concentrations of PFOS and PFOA—two of the most well-known and well-researched PFAS compounds—have been found in Pelican River, Snowden Lake, Starks Creek, Twin Lakes Creek, and Third Lake. Some concentrations reach 1,600 parts per trillion.
As for the Wisconsin River, levels of up to 10 parts per trillion were detected, which is below the state standard of 70 parts per trillion, but above the federal recommendation of 4 parts per trillion.
Although the state does not have groundwater standards for PFAS, there are surface water standards of 95 ppt for PFOA and 8 ppt for PFOS for bodies of water that are not used as a drinking water supply.
Dave Hansen immediately stopped eating the fish he caught from Stella this summer, as soon as the state indicated there might be a problem.
He lives in Lake Five, one of a series of lakes found to be affected by PFAS pollution.
He said: “I’m sure these fish have been in this lake for years, so who knows how long these fish have actually been exposed to this, and what levels they’ve reached.” “I certainly have concerns.”
DNR is analyzing the level of PFAS in fish harvested from the lakes around Stella, which will help give a better idea of the risks that can be associated with consumption.
If fish are affected, Gorski said, the state will issue a consumption advisory warning to fishermen not to consume too much fish.
Potential impact on tourism in the North Woods
The appearance of PFAS in surface waters also raises concerns about tourism as the Rhinelander region is a magnet for visitors fishing the area’s famous lakes and streams. Cabins and summer camps are also located near some of the polluted waters.
Bill Shearer, owner of the We Tie It Fly Shop in Boulder Junction, said people might hesitate to fish in lakes near Stella if they hear about contaminated fish.
“My concern is that people may face health problems or shorten their lives,” he said.
It’s a major concern for Shearer that PFAS is being found in more bodies of water across the state, and he’s concerned that other waters may be overfished because of it.
“These are problems and concerns that every Wisconsin citizen should be concerned about,” he said.
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About PFAS
PFAS, or perfluoroalkyl substances, are a group of man-made chemicals used for their water and stain repellent qualities in products such as clothing, carpeting, nonstick cookware, packaging, and firefighting foam.
The family includes 5,000 compounds, which are stable, and remain in the environment and in the human body over time. The chemicals have been linked to kidney and testicular cancers, low birth weight, damage to the immune and reproductive systems, altered hormone regulation, and altered thyroid hormones.
Chemicals enter the human body largely through drinking water. PFAS is found throughout Wisconsin.
Laura Schulte can be reached at leschulte@jrn.com and on Twitter at @ Laura Schulte.