Known as the gateway to Glacier National Park, Kalispell, Montana, has long taken pride in its pristine water supply. So when “forever chemicals” were detected in the groundwater in 2021, city officials were stumped.
“How? Why? What? When?” Susie Turner, who leads the public works department, said of her initial reaction. “We bragged about our water source being wonderful. We’ve never had to deal with anything to this effect.”
Kalispell is not alone. A U.S. Geological Survey last year found that at least 45 percent of tap water in the U.S. contains one or more per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances, some of which are known or suspected to be toxic.
After decades of virtually no federal restrictions, the Biden administration is poised to set mandatory limits on six PFAS in drinking water. Expected to be finalized before this fall, the rule is critical for public health, scientists say, since the human-made chemicals have been linked to a litany of diseases and reproductive health issues.
