Trace amounts of forever chemicals found in Oswego’s public water supply

Trace amounts of synthetic chemicals have been found in Oswego’s public water supply.

The village has completed four consecutive quarters of testing its public water supply for per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances, commonly known as PFAS, as required by the Illinois Environmental Protection Agency.

PFAs are synthetic chemicals used in various consumer and industrial products for their water, stain and fire resistance properties.

These substances have leached into the environment and now can be found in plants and both animals and humans, since they do not break down easily.

Official regulated standards for the chemicals were not implemented by the IEPA until this year, the same time that cities were notified if they were in violation.

While no detections were reported during the first two quarters, recent sampling revealed trace amounts of PFAS in four wells – each at separate locations and at the lowest detectable levels, according to a news release from the village of Oswego.

In February, PFAS were detected in:

• Well 3, located at 340 S. Madison St.

• Well 7, located at 378 Ogden Falls Boulevard.

In May 2025, detections occurred at:

• Well 6, located at 245 Lennox Drive.

• Well 11, located at 6701 Tuscany Trail.

The levels detected were well below the maximum contaminant levels set by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, according to the release.

In April 2024, the EPA finalized the first-ever national drinking water standards for PFAS compounds. These include four parts per trillion for PFOA and PFOS and 10 parts per trillion for PFNA, PFHxS, PFBA and GenX chemicals.

Among the PFAS compounds detected, the only regulated substance found in Oswego’s water was PFOA, measured at 0.0004 ug/L in Well 6 – just at the threshold of detection and well below the EPA’s action level, according to the release.

In addition, the village is coordinating third-party sampling to verify results and assess any future mitigation needs.

“The village is committed to providing safe, high-quality drinking water and full transparency with our residents,” Oswego Village President Ryan Kauffman said in the release.

In tandem with testing efforts, the Village Board voted on June 10 to join other municipalities nationwide in litigation related to PFAS contamination.

The lawsuits stem from the long-term use of PFAS chemicals in products such as firefighting foam, which has contributed to groundwater contamination in many communities across the country.

“Following PFAS regulatory changes around seven years ago, significant litigation has occurred nationwide, culminating in a $14 billion settlement involving 3M and DuPont,” Oswego Village Administrator Dan Di Santo said to village trustees. “The litigation in question relates to harm incurred as a result of synthetic chemicals that were used in creating firefighting foam and how over time these chemicals contaminated water supplies of some municipalities.”

Residents can learn more about PFAS and federal drinking water standards by visiting the EPA’s website at epa.gov/pfas. Additional updates will be provided as further test results become available.