Tag Archives: forever chemicals

SRWMD & SJRWMD aquifer recharge project update @ SRWMD 2025-07-08

2 Replies

A billion dollars to run Jacksonville and JEA treated wastewater through wetlands in the Suwannee River Basin and into the Floridan Aquifer: this proposal was presented to the SRWMD Board this month.

Nevermind that sewage effluent carries PFAS forever chemicals into wetlands. After contaminating all the wetland wildlife, PFAS would continue into the Florida Aquifer, from which we all drink.

[SRWMD & SJRWMD aquifer recharge project update @ SRWMD 2025-07-08, What about PFAS? and limits on water withdrawals?]
SRWMD & SJRWMD aquifer recharge project update @ SRWMD 2025-07-08, What about PFAS? and limits on water withdrawals?

A SRWMD Board member pointed out that desalination of seawater would cost less. Another pointed out that Jacksonville would just suck the water back out of the aquifer. More on board comments below.

Instead, how about Jacksonville and JEA treat their effluent to drinking water standards and reuse it for themselves? The money they save from pumping it to any of those recharge areas would be enormous. That would use less groundwater, so there would be less need for recharge.

The excuse for this project is increasing population needing more water. Continue reading →

PFAS in sewage effluent used to restore wetlands 2025-07-18

2 Replies

Update 2025-07-25: SRWMD & SJRWMD aquifer recharge project update @ SRWMD 2025-07-08.

It’s well-established that ordinary wastewater treatment does not remove PFAS forever chemicals. Yet two Florida Water Management Districts want to use treated wastewater from Jacksonville into wetlands to “restore” levels and flows in the Santa Fe River and many springs in the Suwannee Basin.

[PFAS in sewage effluent used to restore wetlands, Maybe into Nutrien Phosphate Mine wetlands on Swift Creek]
PFAS in sewage effluent used to restore wetlands, Maybe into Nutrien Phosphate Mine wetlands on Swift Creek

See the Suwannee River Water Management District (SRWMD) YouTube video of its July 8, 2025, Governing Board meeting:
https://www.youtube.com/live/9pousRkUayc?si=R8KNhx524INgVNW-&t=4120

It’s hard to tell from that project’s map, but it sure looks like one of the target wetlands is at the top of Swift Creek in the Nutrien Phosphate Mine in Hamlton County. Continue reading →

PFAS forever chemicals are in everything –WUFT 2023-02-14

“This stuff is in everything,” said Suwannee Riverkeeper John Quarterman.

In the Withlacoochee River, in fish in the Alapaha River, maybe in your house. Georgia, Florida, and U.S. EPA should do something about it.

For what you can do, see:
https://wwals.net/issues/pfas/

[Sullivan Launch PFAS sample, US 41, Knights Ferry, State Line, Sullivan Launch, Withlacoochee River 2022-06-30]
Sullivan Launch PFAS sample, US 41, Knights Ferry, State Line, Sullivan Launch, Withlacoochee River 2022-06-30

Fernando Figueroa, WUFT, February 14, 2023, Community members speak up about new “forever chemicals” study

A new study by the Environmental Working Group, an activist group focused on research, revealed that eating a single freshwater fish is equal to drinking water with high PFAS levels for a month.

Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances, also known as PFAS or “forever chemicals,” are Continue reading →

PFAS in fish in Alapaha River 2023-01-17

Largemouth bass caught in the Alapaha River at Statenville Boat Ramp had high concentrations of PFAS forever chemicals.

EWG summarizes the risk:

Eating just one PFAS-contaminated freshwater fish per month could be the equivalent of drinking a glass of water with very high levels of PFOS or other forever chemicals.

[Map and data: PFAS in fish in Alapaha River --EWG 2023-01-17]
Map and data: PFAS in fish in Alapaha River –EWG 2023-01-17 Sample taken: 2014. Source: Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), Enforcement and Compliance History Online (ECHO), PFAS National Datasets, Ambient Environmental Sampling for PFAS. Available here.

EWG, January 17, 2023, ‘Forever chemicals’ in freshwater fish: Mapping a growing environmental justice problem EPA data reveal high levels of PFAS in fish and human exposure risks,

What does this map show?

From coast to coast, and in almost every state in the U.S., high levels of the “forever chemicals” known as PFAS contaminate freshwater fish. The potential harm is not limited to fish, but the pollution poses health risks to communities that catch and eat the fish.

This map, based on data from the Environmental Protection Agency, confirms the detection of PFAS at alarming levels Continue reading →

Forever chemicals in rainwater everywhere 2022-08-02

U.S. EPA may get around to mandatory limits for drinking water later this year.

[Worldwide, graph]
Worldwide, graph

Georgia and Florida have no mandatory limits for these per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS). Georgia EPD is monitoring drinking water (mostly clean) and some surface water (in north Georgia, with some bad results). FDEP “ continues its efforts to investigate and understand PFAS in the environment and the ecological and human health risks associated with PFAS contamination.”

My backup drinking water is rainwater collection. Probably the charcoal filters I use remove PFOAS, although Continue reading →