Maryland is working to deliver safer, cleaner drinking water by reducing a group of pervasive and persistent chemicals known as PFAS, or “forever chemicals,” which contaminate some of the state’s waterways.
The state is investing millions of dollars in efforts to filter out these harmful substances — a tall order, especially after a recent national study found elevated PFAS levels in the Monocacy River in Frederick County.
PFAS, which are resistant to water, oil and heat, are found in everyday products such as nonstick cookware, makeup and food packaging. They pose significant health risks, including links to cancer, and are notoriously difficult to remove from the environment.
The Environmental Protection Agency has set a drinking water limit for PFAS at just four parts per trillion. In Hampstead in Carroll County, state testing in 2020 revealed PFAS levels exceeding 70 parts per trillion. That triggered an immediate response from town officials.
“We got a phone call in November of 2020 basically saying we need to shut two of your wells off,” said Kevin Hann, superintendent of Hampstead’s Public Works Department.
Hann, along with Town Supervisor Jim Roark, spearheaded a nearly $31 million plan to modernize the town’s water system. The initiative includes building three new treatment plants and upgrading an existing facility. New carbon tanks at these plants will filter PFAS out of the town’s water supply.
“We are so far ahead of anyone else in the PFAS mitigation effort,” Roark said. Construction is scheduled to begin next month.
Funding for the project includes nearly $19.9 million in federal dollars, $7.7 million from the state, and $3.3 million from the town of Hampstead.
Roark emphasized the importance of transparency, noting monthly updates at town council meetings and a public town hall scheduled for the end of July.
“We have nothing to hide,” he said.
Hampstead is not alone. The state of Maryland has allocated $130 million in this fiscal year’s budget to support similar water treatment efforts across the state; the funds are not limited to only reducing PFAS levels. The Maryland Department of the Environment (MDE) is responsible for distributing those funds.
“What’s clear with PFAS is that we need a whole-of-government and whole-of-society approach,” said Zachary Schafer of MDE. “We have to stop it at its source and provide the resources communities need to address the pollution.”
For residents like Brittany Palmer of Carroll County, the effort brings cautious optimism. After learning about PFAS a year ago, she became deeply concerned about its impact on her family — especially her young daughter.
“You don’t realize how many things have forever chemicals in them,” Palmer said. “It’s really scary… It sounds like it’s going to be a great thing — help us have cleaner water and a better future.”
Spotlight on Maryland will continue to monitor PFAS levels in Hampstead.
Spotlight on Maryland is a joint venture by FOX45 News, The Baltimore Sun and WJLA in Washington, D.C. Have a news tip? Contact Tessa Bentulan at tbentulan@sbgtv.com.
