OTSEGO (WKZO AM/FM) — They have been doing a lot of testing for a wide variety of chemicals in the Otsego area because of local concerns about a possible cancer cluster in the area.
So far they have found dioxin and PFAS, but more testing is needed to determine where it is present and In what concentrations. The DEQ says it plans to identify 25 residential wells near the U.S.G. plant, which was formerly owned by Menasha, to get a grasp on the size and toxicity of the plume, after receiving indications that there is PFAs in some private water wells at levels so far that do not exceed what the government considers to be safe.
They also plan to collect soil samples from area farms where sludge from the paper factory was dumped. They say that may be the source of the water contamination. The DEQ’s Dave Heywood says there have also been questions about quality control issues so they are switching labs.
