Valle began to suspect water from her well was making her sick. "Even if everything is organic, it doesn't matter, if the water underground is not clean," Valle said.
Researchers found worrisome levels of chemicals called PFAS in her well water. Exposure to PFAS has been linked to health problems including cancer, decreased response to vaccines, and low birth weight.
The researchers suspect the toxic chemicals could have made their way into Valle's water through nearby agricultural operations, which may have used PFAS-laced fertilizers.
The chemicals have unexpectedly turned up in well water in rural farmland far from known contamination sites. Researchers worry that PFAS could further harm farmworkers and communities of color disproportionately.
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