PFAS in Virginia’s Waters: What you Need to Know!

Join Wild Virginia for a program discussing serious pollution of state waters and dire threats to Virginians from PFAS, a class of pollutants designated as per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances. Because of enormous concentrations of PFAS in various species of fish in the Chickahominy River watershed, the Virginia Department of Health finally issued a formal consumption advisory in early May, after a long and unnecessary delay. In fact, VDH and the Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ) warned that sensitive populations not eat fish taken from these waters in 2022, but then failed to take necessary actions to inform and protect the public.

In this program, we will describe the PFAS contamination in the Chickahominy, in both water and fish and the regulatory steps DEQ must take now to ensure that people and wildlife are protected from serious harm. Similar threats exist in other waters around the state and we must address them now, before our drinking water supplies and food are contaminated further. We know some permitted discharges and land application fo sewage sludge making uncontrolled releases of PFAS to the environment.

PFAS are associated with a wide range of health problems, including cancers, developmental disorders, and others. Wild Virginia has been insisting for several years that state officials take forceful action to address PFAS threats. DEQ has not only failed to do so, it has not fully informed the public. Wild Virginia has reviewed thousands of pieces of data and will report on those findings where the state has failed.

Register here!