DOWNTOWN TALLAHASSEE, FL — Scientists are calling for further investigation by state and local governments into elevated PFAS levels found in private wells in Woodville and in the water at Wakulla Springs.
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In late March, scientists identified the City's wastewater facility as a possible source for contaminating water with forever chemicals — also known as PFAS. Recent confirmation from the City of Tallahassee, however, shows that is not the case.
"The results demonstrate that our treated wastewater has PFAS levels well below the latest federal drinking water standards," Alissa Meyers, Director of Environmental Services with the City of Tallahassee, said.
That confirmation has not stopped allergist and asthma specialist Dr. Ron Saff from wanting to find out where the elevated levels of PFAS are coming from.
"So we have a signal that something's happening in that Woodville area. Now, we're not quite sure where the PFAS is coming from, but we've kind of felt that we've done our job. We've identified the problem. And now it's up to government to figure out the source," Saff said.
The City of Tallahassee says it has an ongoing pilot study to find the right treatment for one well in Woodville that serves city water. While the water is safe to drink, that well does have higher levels of PFAS.
At a recent meeting, City Commissioners raised concerns that the County's landfill could be a source of the contamination. Dr. Donald Axelrad said that would have appeared in the city's study on the sprayfield as well.
"But if a lot of it was getting there, we would have seen it in the data set from the city. We would have seen much, much higher levels," Axelrad said.
Beyond frequent testing, Axelrad said a heavier hand is needed to solve the issue — replacing PFAS found in products like makeup, personal hygiene items, dental floss, and many more items altogether.
"We can find replacements for PFAS. There are certain applications where certainly they're going to have to be used, but those are few and far between," Axelrad said.
The City of Tallahassee has said the next testing for PFAS is scheduled for October 2026. Residents who would like their well water tested can contact the Florida Department of Health for free testing at 850-895-8360.
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