150+ residents turn out to hear plan for PFAS remediation in Palmerton water

PALMERTON, Pa.- The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has laid out a timeline for how it intends to address the overabundance of potentially harmful chemicals in the Palmerton area’s public water system.

Tuesday night, representatives from the EPA and other officials led a public discussion on the issue at the Aquashicola Volunteer Fire Company. More than 150 residents showed up to hear the update.

How did we get here?

First, some background. The chemicals in question are per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances, also known as PFAS. They’re commonly referred to as forever chemicals, because they don’t break down easily in the environment. PFAS have been used in manufacturing since the 1940s and are found in everything from non-stick cook wear to paints to food packaging. They’ve been linked to a number of health problems, including cancer. 

In 2024, the Palmerton Municipal Authority (PMA) detected PFAS in its municipal water supply wells near the Palmerton Zinc Pile Superfund site. Zinc smelting operations took place near the base of Blue Mountain for nearly 100 years, ceasing in 1981. In 1983, the EPA listed the Palmerton Zinc Pile on the Superfund list of the nation’s most contaminated sites.

The EPA began revegetating the site in the 1990s, using a mix of biosolids, fly ash, lime and fertilizer. 

Following PMA’s discovery of PFAS in the water in 2024, the EPA did its own testing in 2025. The results showed elevated PFAS levels in most of the water and soil samples, the agency reported.

The EPA’s allowable PFAS threshold for a public water system is 4 parts per trillion (ppt). Levels detected in Palmerton’s production wells ranged from 34.5 ppt to 49.3 ppt.

To put that in context, the EPA says 1 ppt is equal to a single drop of water in 20 Olympic-sized swimming pools.

Next steps

Last October, the EPA authorized the installation of a groundwater treatment system at the location of PMA’s production wells. Tuesday night, EPA officials told the crowd a temporary system should be operational by late summer of this year.

That system will be what’s known as a Granular Activated Carbon (GAC) Treatment System. As contaminated water flows through the carbon materials, the contaminants stick to the carbon’s surface and are removed.

Many home water filters use a version of the GAC system. The EPA pointed out that boiling water is not effective in removing PFAS.

The EPA said it’s going with a temporary fix first because it can be installed much quicker than a brick-and-mortar treatment plant.

Beyond the temporary system, the EPA said it would continue to monitor the site and conduct a feasibility study for a permanent groundwater treatment system or an alternative water supply, if necessary. The study is expected to commence in the summer of 2027 and take 12 to 24 months to complete. 

In March, it will begin testing private wells in Palmerton and Lower Towamensing Township. Two rounds of testing will be provided free of charge to residents.