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Environmental health director: county to limit private-well grant testing as state PFAS grant reduces local funding
Summary
Elizabeth Townsend said the county spent nearly all last years private well grant funds and that a separate DNR PFAS grant could cover testing for up to 25 wells; the county will still offer limited PFAS testing while narrowing local grant eligibility due to reduced funding.
Elizabeth Townsend told the board the private well grant last year funded roughly $65,000 in testing and related services, but the countys current contract for the program was reduced to $30,000 per year for the next three years.
Townsend said the state DNR received a roughly $1,000,000 grant that has provisionally identified Jackson County as one of five counties to receive PFAS testing support. "This other grant that the DNR got, received is 1000000 dollar grant... we would be able to test up to 25 wells in the county," she said, and added that if those wells test positive the DNR would pay for reverse-osmosis treatment for those households. Townsend said the county will still use private-well grant resources for PFAS testing but will limit eligibility and charge a $40 fee for routine annual water tests to conserve funds.
Supervisors asked how the county would prioritize wells and asked for clarity on technical eligibility; Townsend said the county would publish eligibility criteria on its website and would follow the DNRs workplan once it is approved.
Townsend emphasized the goal of providing options for homeowners while preserving limited funds for higher-priority testing.
