KENT COUNTY, Mich. — This week marks 50 years since lawmakers passed monumental legislation called the Safe Drinking Water Act.
Over the past half century, lawmakers have expanded protections, including reducing PFA levels.
Tobyn McNaughton and her family were exposed to high levels of these forever chemicals.
“PFAs is a nightmare to us,” McNaughton said.
A source of where the PFAs came from was a contaminated well in Belmont. McNaughton explains that when their well was tested back in 2017, it registered at 1,961 parts per trillion.
“We have really contaminated wells within the township,” she added.
Unknowingly, they used their well for many of their everyday needs like drinking and cooking.
“We found out I was pregnant in 2016, and I drank a lot of water and tried to be healthy. And that's why Jack is 8 years old, and he has the highest level of PFAs in his blood of any child in the United States that we know of,” McNaughton added.
According to the CDC, PFAs are linked to several adverse health effects, including kidney cancer, a decrease in birth weight, and an increase in cholesterol.
“Right now, we're just monitoring their health, and we're just worried about as they grow and change, like, how that's going to affect them,” she said.
President Gerald R. Ford signed the Safe Drinking Water Act in 1974.
“It's great that we've had it for, like, 50 years now,” McNaughton said.
Over the past several decades, federal lawmakers have continued to expand protections, including earlier this year. The Biden administration has finalized strict limits on PFAs to 4 parts per trillion.
“Sometimes it still feels like we're still waiting for it to be 100% safe,” she said.
The McNaughtons have capped off their well and switched to the Plainfield Township water system. She showed us the reverse osmosis system they hooked up for drinking water.
“That gave me more peace of mind, because I had EGLE (Michigan Department of Environment, Great Lakes, and Energy) test that as well, and there was no PFAs coming out of the RO system.
McNaughton’s oldest son is part of a study, but they worry that the damage has already been done.
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