"The first test of the Wynn-Stelt's water came back with PFAS levels at 24,000 parts-per-trillion, much higher than the 4-10 ppt limits the federal government would later set for the chemicals in 2024. It was such a high number local officials thought it had to be an error, but subsequent tests have shown numbers as high as 100,000 ppt for various PFAS, known as "forever chemicals" because they do not readily break down in water, soil, wildlife and humans."
"PFAS are manmade chemicals that give the materials they coat heat-, water-, and stain-resistant properties. They have been used in consumer products since the 1950s, but since the chemicals' risks for human health came to light in the early 2000s, public concern has grown - especially since PFAS can linger in the environment, seeping into and accumulating in people's bodies from tainted air, food or water."
Sandy Wynn-Stelt and her husband Joel moved to Kent County, Michigan, in 1992 seeking peace and quiet amid hectic careers. Joel developed liver cancer in 2016 and died within three weeks of his diagnosis. In 2017, state environmental tests found extremely high levels of PFAS in the couple's well water. Initial tests showed 24,000 parts-per-trillion, far above the 4–10 ppt federal limits set in 2024; subsequent tests recorded up to 100,000 ppt. PFAS are manmade chemicals used since the 1950s for heat-, water-, and stain-resistant properties and can persist in the environment and accumulate in human bodies. Michigan has expanded municipal testing, and 2.6 million residents rely on private wells.
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