Everyone deserves safe drinking water. Unfortunately, this essential resource is being stripped from Unity and Benton residents as this story highlights the PFAS pollution discovered in private wells in the area (“State’s probe of ‘forever chemicals’ in Fairfield water wells expands to neighboring areas,” May 5). Fields in these communities were fertilized with sludge from the same source as the catastrophic contamination in Fairfield. So far, five wells in Unity have been found to have levels of PFAS contamination that exceed the EPA’s current limit, and the results of 28 wells in Benton are still pending.

PFAS is the toxic “forever” chemical that doesn’t break down easily in our bodies or our environment. Instead, it accumulates and can cause health issues like cancers, liver and kidney damage, and more. While officials continue to find high levels of this dangerous chemical in our drinking water, more needs to be done to protect our communities. To make that happen, everyday people need to speak up.

Community Action Works and Defend Our Health are supporting residents impacted by environmental problems like PFAS pollution to build community power for change.

If you live in the area and near fields where sludge has been spread and are experiencing or are concerned about PFAS in your water, please contact Community Action Work’s Maine State Director Dana Colihan at dana@communityactionworks.org and Defend Our Health’s Organizer Sergio Cahueque at scahueque@defendourhealth.org. We can support you in getting your well water tested and make sure it is safe for drinking and consumption.

 

Dana Colihan

Portland