Residents in central Maine are struggling to access medical guidance and testing after discovering their well water was contaminated with PFAS, a class of toxic chemicals linked to numerous health risks.
Marina Schauffler reports for The Washington Post.
In short:
- After learning in 2020 that their well water contained high levels of PFAS, Lawrence and Penny Higgins faced a lack of medical information and support, prompting them to join an advisory board studying mental health effects of exposure.
- Dr. Rachel Criswell, a family physician in central Maine, is leading efforts to educate providers and expand PFAS testing, spurred by 2022 clinical guidance from the National Academies linking the chemicals to serious health conditions.
- New legislation in Maine would require insurers to cover PFAS blood tests as preventive care, while researchers launch studies to document mental health impacts and track patient responses to possible detoxification treatments.
Key quote:
“There isn’t a day that goes by that we don’t think and wonder when our bodies are going to shut down on us.”
— Lawrence Higgins, Fairfield, Maine resident
Why this matters:
PFAS chemicals, used for decades in consumer and industrial products, have contaminated drinking water sources across the United States. Known as "forever chemicals" for their persistence in the environment and human body, PFAS are linked to cancers, developmental delays, liver damage, and immune dysfunction. While their widespread presence in blood samples suggests exposure is nearly universal, those living near former sludge application sites, industrial areas, or military bases often face especially high levels. Yet the U.S. health system has been slow to offer routine testing or clinical guidance, leaving exposed individuals to navigate fear and uncertainty without clear medical support.
Related: Trump cuts funding for PFAS farm contamination research, halting efforts to track chemicals in crops
