PFAS at Camas’ Well 13 the ‘highest we’ve seen’ says utilities manager

Recent tests show significantly elevated levels of “forever chemicals” in Camas’ drinking water system.

Camas Utilities Manager Rob Charles told city officials Monday that recent testing at Well 13 showed “forever chemicals” levels at 10 times the federal action level for PFAS treatment.

Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances are a group of toxic, synthetic chemicals commonly known as PFAS or forever chemicals.

“We turned it on in early June, and our first sample was 32.6 parts per trillion, the highest we’ve seen,” Charles said of Well 13.

Under state regulations, the city is allowed to take two samples and use the average.

City staff had hoped the second reading would be much lower than the first, but Charles said the second round of sampling at Well 13 showed even higher PFAS levels at 46.9 parts per trillion, giving the well an average PFAS reading of 39.75 parts per trillion.

The Environmental Protection Agency’s action level for PFAS in drinking water is 4 parts per trillion.

Well 13, located near Louis Bloch Park in southeast Camas, has had issues with PFAS contamination before.

During the city’s first PFAS tests in 2022, Well 13 had higher levels than any other Camas well, with PFAS readings of 25 and 17 parts per trillion, above the state’s action level of 15 parts per trillion. (The state is in the process of adopting stricter standards to match the federal government.)

The test results triggered public alerts and the beginning of the city’s plan to seek treatment options and decrease dependency on Well 13 in cooler-weather months.

Since then, the city has alerted water customers when it brings Well 13 online — and when PFAS readings exceed the state’s action levels.

The city has identified an ion-exchange treatment for the well. Charles said earlier this year that PFAS treatment at Well 13 could be up and running by early 2027.

Until then, the city continues to monitor the well for the toxic chemicals that have been linked to cancer, high cholesterol levels and reduced birth weights. Camas still relies on the well during high-demand months.

Charles said letters regarding the most recent PFAS testing will be sent to water customers later this week or early next week.

The city will test for PFAS again in late August or early September, Charles said.

Other Camas wells have had raised PFAS levels in the past but none were high enough to warrant continued testing.

The state requires the city to keep testing Well 13 because PFAS levels have been higher than 15 parts per trillion. Officials know the Well 13 water is blending into the system, but they do not test the blended water for a system average, Charles said.

Camas residents have been asked to adhere to an alternating day watering schedule this summer to reduce the city’s water needs.

Charles said the city cannot meet its current demand for water without using Well 13.

“We are using Well 13. It’s on right now,” he said. “And it likely will stay on until September, when demand dies down.”

Kelly Moyer: 360-735-4674; kelly.moyer@columbian.com