Forever Toxic: How South Bend is cleaning up the forever chemicals in our water
SOUTH BEND, Ind. -- They're invisible, indestructible, and recent studies show they're inside all of us. PFAS, perfluoroalkyl and polyfluoroalkyl substances, commonly known as forever chemicals. They don’t break down naturally, which makes cleanup a challenge.
In Michiana, these hazardous substances have been found in the soil, in our water and in products we use every day. They’ve been linked to immune system issues, developmental problems and different types of cancer.
North American researchers say we've all been exposed but the danger runs deeper for firefighters.
“Had no idea it was bad for us”
Captain Troy Platz, a safety officer with the South Bend Fire Department, said the profession has changed significantly since he was a rookie more than 20 years ago. "In training, we would have these huge blankets of foam, and it would be all over us," he said. "We had no idea it was bad for us. I had that stuff all over me, in my mouth, in my eyes."
Platz said the department stopped using that type of foam a few years ago; after learning it was made with long-lasting toxins known as PFAS.
"There was a whole flushing process," said Platz. "The state took away all that foam and disposed of it. Now we have the newer foams that are not fluorinated."
But for many firefighters, such as Platz, the damage is already done.
"I have ulcerative colitis," said Platz, "which is one of the diseases that they've found linked to PFAS and PFOAs and all that, along with all that list of cancers. So that's when it kind of perked my attention. I started researching. We have several guys with different cancers of course. Much more than the general population."
Higher PFAS levels found in firefighters:
The Indiana Department of Homeland Security just released its full report on the PFAS Testing Pilot Program, which started in 2023 and tested 316 firefighters from across the state. The results showed higher levels of PFAS in firefighters compared to the average American.
The report suggests that exposure to PFAS‑based firefighting foam is likely behind the elevated levels. It also urges fire departments to start adding on‑scene and post‑call
cleanup routines to help reduce exposure and begin tracking PFAS levels over time through biomonitoring.
Forever chemicals are not new:
Forever chemicals were introduced in the 1940s, marketed as Teflon and made popular by its slick, non-stick surface, according to the United States Environmental Protection Agency.
By the 1950s, PFAS started entering homes, more companies putting them in their products.
In the early 2000s, the toxins showed up in blood tests confirming widespread human exposure, with some corporations taking it upon themselves to phase out usage.
In 2016, the EPA issued a lifetime health advisory for PFAS. Eight years later, they were designated as a hazardous substance.
The EPA has now set a national standard for PFAS levels in drinking water, which they'll start enforcing in 2031.
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, "Most people in the U.S. have been exposed to PFAS and have it in their blood."
Notre Dame professor Dr. Graham Peaslee is considered a North American expert on PFAS.
"If PFAS gets into our waterways, which it has, especially in developed countries, then we will be drinking small amounts of PFAS every day, and a good fraction of it will stick in our bodies," said Peaslee. "Some of it piles up in the liver, some of it piles up in the kidney, some of it piles up in the brain. All bad places to have a chemical that's artificial piling up, and these chemicals are known to have adverse health effects."
The Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry lists several health effects, including pregnancy-induced hypertension and preeclampsia, kidney and testicular cancer, ulcerative colitis, and lower antibody response to some vaccines in children.
"These chemicals last forever."
Peaslee started studying these forever chemicals in 2012.
"At that time, there were only four or five people in the country that knew anything about it," said Peaslee. "I've spent about 10 years publishing now over 50 papers on PFAS and where it is and where it goes and why it's there. Nothing naturally eats them. Nothing biodegrades them. These chemicals last forever."
Peaslee and his students have spent quite a bit of time in the Nuclear Science Lab at Notre Dame testing consumer products for PFAS.
"We looked at a whole branch of personal care products and cosmetics that were fluorinated," said Peaslee.
Peaslee said they've tested school uniforms, menstrual underwear and even fitness watches. "The list goes on," he said. "There are a lot of products out there made with these things. These chemicals last forever and that means it gets back out into the environment when the clothing breaks down, and it can get into our drinking water, it can get into our air, it can get into wherever these molecules end up, and unfortunately, they get into our bodies."
Another item they've tested: firefighter turnout gear. Peaslee started testing used and unused gear in 2018, finding high levels of PFAS.
Toxic firefighting foam is gone, but risk remains:
"It's called PTFE," said Platz reading the label inside their turnout gear. "Still polyfluorinated. But that's what's in this. That's what keeps our gear from getting sopping wet. That's the problem with PFAS, it's really good at what it does but it's also very hard to get rid of."
According to Peaslee, forever chemicals are waterproof, repel oil and hold up extremely well against heat.
"When the firefighters saw my students holding the gear up to the camera, they could only see the purple nitrile gloves, they said, 'Why do your students wear gloves when touching our gear,' and I say, 'It's got too much PFAS in it, we can't handle that.' And the firefighters took that to heart. They said, 'We put that on every day, nobody ever told us there was a toxic chemical in it.' And they certainly wouldn't put their kids in it for a photo."
"I mean there were times when I put my kids in my gear," said Platz. "'Oh, that's cute!' Now, after learning all this, it's like, 'Nope, nah, don't put that on.' Cause why expose them to that?"
The goal now is to reduce exposure:
"We got to do better and we're trying," said Platz. "We've been pretty proactive."
Platz said the South Bend Fire Department now has guidelines on when to wear turnout gear, they've adopted new decontamination methods at fire scenes and switched up their laundry routine.
"We’ve gotten away from using heated dryers, tumble dryers because that […] breaks down that compound, makes it easier to absorb into us," said Platz.
A government-funded study published in 2024 by the National Institute of Standards and Technology found that exposure to heat significantly increased PFAS concentrations in firefighter turnout gear.
"This is our newer dryer, it doesn't tumble," said Platz pointing at the new dryer. "So, the gear literally just hangs in here."
Platz said the department is also investing in new turnout gear. "This says 'SA CLEAR.' So, this is our first PFAS-free liner," he said. "So, it's designed just like the other set. Moving forward we'll be going with this liner."
Some fire departments in other states, such as Massachusetts, are in the process of replacing all toxic turnout gear with PFAS-free options.
"We have a couple boxes of PFAS-free gear that we're testing currently to see if it actually is PFAS-free as specified," said Peaslee.
South Bend's costly battle to keep drinking water safe:
The City of South Bend is investing tens of millions of dollars in keeping drinking water clean and residents healthy. The issue right now isn't the condition of the water when it pours out of your tap, the issue is with the water that hasn't been touched yet, groundwater.
Eric Horvath is the Public Works director for the city. It's a big responsibility making sure more than a hundred-thousand people have clean drinking water.
South Bend started testing for PFAS in 2023 right before they were officially designated as hazardous substances.
"When we saw that we did have levels of PFAS, we knew we had to start doing something about it," said Horvath.
South Bend has 29 wells. Twenty-three of them have groundwater that tested positive for PFAS. Twelve of those are above what the national standard will be in 2031.
Out of the 12, Horvath said four already have treatment for PFAS, one is no longer pumping water, and the remaining seven are on limited use.
"Right now, South Bend will probably be incurring about $50 million in costs in terms of putting in treatment technologies at our North Station and Pinhook plants," said Horvath.
North Station is first on the list with a $21.5 million project that has construction slated for spring 2027.
To pay for the project, the city is using $4.1 million in settlement funds tied to class-action lawsuits against companies like 3M and DuPont, manufacturers of these forever chemicals.
Horvath says $15.4 million will come from a State Revolving Fund bond, and another $2 million will be reimbursed by the state through the Emerging Contaminants Fund.
"I feel like we've got a good plan," said Horvath. "Even though resources are always tough, we always find a way to make it work."
Once North Station is done, they will start construction at Pinhook. Horvath said the treatment project at Pinhook is expected to cost between $25-$30 million and paid for with money from a water rate increase planned for late 2026 or early 2027.
“Ratepayers will see some burden because we won’t be able to fully recover all the costs that are needed to treat it," said Horvath. "Our goal is to make sure there is no PFAS in the system at all."
Horvath emphasized the water is safe to drink in South Bend. "We'll continue to make sure it's safe to drink," he said.
"We did it to ourselves"
Peaslee said the fight against PFAS is far from over, and it's going to be a slow process.
"One of the EPA directors said this is going to be the most expensive cleanup America has ever had," he said. "Cause once it's in the water, it's very hard to get it out. We did it to ourselves."
According to Peaslee, a good fraction the United States doesn't know whether they're drinking PFAS or not. "South Bend has done a remarkable job of testing," said Peaslee. "They've done a proactive job. I think the water here is safer than most other places."
Protecting yourself at home:
There is no treatment available to remove PFAs from the human body. That's why experts say it's important to reduce exposure now.
One way you can do that is by filtering your water. While there are a lot of products on the market for this, not all of them are effective at removing forever chemicals.
Here is what to look for based on guidelines from the EPA:
- Charcoal Filter - use carbon to trap PFAs as water passes through
- Reverse Osmosis Filter - force the chemicals through an extremely thin barrier, trapping them
- Ion Exchange Resin Filter - use tiny resin beads which act like magnets, drawing in and holding onto forever chemicals letting clean water pass through
"Individuals can also get either GAC or reverse osmosis that they would put either on their whole house, or at their kitchen faucet, or even water pitchers that go in your refrigerator. And you can get those pretty inexpensively. Water pitchers are about $35, and they remove PFAS as well as other contaminants. And the filters do the same," said Horvath.
When you're shopping, make sure an independent group has certified the brand you're interested in, to ensure the filter does what it advertises.
You should also check the code on the packaging. Look for NSF/ANSI 53 or NSF/ANSI 58.
This means the filter has been tested and specifically certified to reduce PFAS in water.