Pass the PFAS: Wisconsin communities grapple with ‘forever chemicals’ as state, federal officials stall regulation standards

Lee Donahue had been a town supervisor for the town of Campbell located on French Island for all of six months when news came to her that the town’s drinking water and groundwater had PFAS in it — forcing her to quickly get up to speed on the dangerous class of chemicals and what contamination meant for the island she’d called home for nearly 15 years.

PFAS, or Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances, are a large class of chemical compounds, some of which have been linked to adverse health effects including decreased fertility, cancers, developmental delays in children, high cholesterol and more. Sometimes called “forever chemicals,” PFAS are found everywhere — from non-stick pans and fast food wrappers to dental floss and firefighting foams...