The Michigan city of Cadillac is taking water safety into its own hands after key funding was left out of the state's latest budget. Facing growing concerns over PFAS contamination, city leaders are determined to protect residents even without state support.

What's happening?

Cadillac city officials previously requested about $8 million in state funding to address PFAS — or per- and polyfluoroalkyl substance — contamination in its water system. PFAS are a group of "forever chemicals" linked to serious health risks, making the funding request a matter of public health and environmental justice.

The requested funds were slated to help connect all city residents to the municipal water system, installing private service lines to increase access to safe multiple water sources and closing private wells that may be contaminated with PFAS, per a report by local ABC News affiliate WPBN. But the recently passed Michigan state budget did not include this requested aid, leaving Cadillac's water access ambitions on hold.

Why is PFAS in drinking water concerning?

Known as "forever chemicals," PFAS have been used for decades in products such as firefighting foam, nonstick cookware, styrofoam food packaging, and water-resistant materials. But these commonly used chemicals can "usually take hundreds or thousands of years to break down," the World Economic Forum reports. In the environment, they can build up in soil, water, and living organisms — including humans.

PFAS have been linked to health issues such as liver damage, reproductive problems, hormone disruption, increased cancer risk, and more. They also pose a threat to wildlife, potentially leading to illness or death when ingested by wild animals. 

Scientists still have a lot to learn about PFAS — including what concentrations are particularly concerning for exposure. What's clear, however, is that their persistence in the environment and ability to accumulate in living beings make PFAS a growing public health concern and environmental challenge.

What's being done to help Cadillac gain access to clean drinking water?

Though their budget request was denied, Cadillac officials aren't giving up on the city's proposed water safety projects. The city is already seeking alternative funding, reaching out to federal and state officials — including state representatives — for support and guidance. 

"We're certainly not giving up the fight," city manager Marcus Peccia said at a recent city council meeting, per WPBN. 

As a temporary solution, the city is providing affected residents with free 5-gallon jugs of clean water. Yet the absence of state funding means long-term solutions, such as connecting residents to municipal water and decommissioning contaminated wells, remain at a standstill. 

But despite budget hurdles, Cadillac's determination to ensure safe drinking water for residents shows no signs of running dry.

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