When test results for the city of Camas’ Well 13 released in January 2023 showed elevated levels of PFAS, also known as forever chemicals, locals were naturally concerned by the results. So were city officials, who shut down the well.
They aren’t sure where the chemicals originated. Some residents think the Georgia-Pacific mill could be the source of the per- and polyfluoroalkyl chemicals, while others want the city to look into the area’s microchip manufacturers, an industry long tied to the use of PFAS.
Although subsequent testing at the well showed PFAS levels had dropped below the state allowable limit, concerns about the safety of the city’s water supply remain.
The 2023 test results showed levels at 17 parts per trillion, above the state allowable level of 15 parts per trillion. Test results from August 2023 showed levels at 15.8 parts per trillion. Additional tests conducted since then found PFAS levels had dropped below the state threshold.
“There are different levels; you have the state allowable levels for PFAS, which differ greatly from what the federal Environmental Protection Agency has rolled out,” said Bryan Rachal, communications director for the city.
PFAS are a group of about 15,000 synthetic chemicals used to make a variety of products and first came into use in the 1940s and ’50s. Their chemical structure makes them impervious to breaking down, which is where the name forever chemicals originated.
Everything from lipstick and eyeliner to nonstick cookware and stain resistant fabrics and carpet contain PFAS. The chemicals are also commonly used in firefighting foam. According to the EPA, exposure to PFAS has been linked to kidney, prostate and testicular cancer, ulcerative colitis, thyroid disease, developmental issues in children and more.
Rachal said the new EPA regulations will go into effect in 2029. Those new federal levels for PFAS, set at 4 parts per trillion, will be more difficult for the city to meet. Camas is working now toward finding a solution.
“We’re already in the process of designing a treatment system at our Well 13, which is the one that had the elevated PFAS levels. We anticipate that the system would be installed sometime in 2026, well ahead of the 2029 date,” said Rob Charles, utilities manager for Camas.
The treatment system will likely use either granular activated carbon or ion exchange treatment media. According to city documents, treatment for Well 13 alone could cost as much as $6.5 million.
The large number of chemicals classified as PFAS, as well as the variety of products containing the chemicals, can make it extremely difficult to identify how and where PFAS are entering the water system. When cleaning products containing PFAS are used outside or spilled on the ground, rainwater runoff can carry them into neighboring lakes and streams, as well as into stormwater systems. Other possible sources include leaching from landfills and industrial emissions, both in the air and on the ground.
Could microchip fabricators like nLIGHT, Analog Devices and TSMC be a source? According to SEMI, a global industry group based in California, “semiconductor chips and related devices cannot be produced without PFAS being available at multiple points in the supply chain.”
Charles said where the city draws drinking water makes it unlikely that microchip manufacturing is the source of contamination.
“We actually get all of our (drinking) water from groundwater. We have a source north of the city … but that’s not affected by PFAS,” Charles said. “Our groundwater is well below ground and not influenced by the Columbia River.”
Nine of the city’s 10 wells are in the south end of the city, near the Washougal River. One other well is farther north, about a mile from Analog Devices and nLIGHT and 1½ miles from TSMC. None of the other wells had test results above the state limit.
Resident Albina Morrison, who previously worked in the semiconductor industry, said she became concerned about whether the city’s water supply is safe after the Well 13 results were released.
“We should make more efforts to find the sources of contamination. I highly appreciate what our government and local organizations have done to investigate whether (Georgia-Pacific) mill is the source, but I believe they miss the point that (the) chipmaking industry also contributes great amount(s) of PFAS effluent,” Morrison said via email.
Runoff from microchip manufacturers is more likely to end up in the city’s stormwater treatment plant. Charles said the city did some testing at the wastewater treatment plant in 2022 that showed elevated levels of PFAS but haven’t tested the facility since. He said the city does not currently have any plans for testing at the wastewater facility until state regulations requiring such testing are in place.
“We do expect at some point in the near future that testing for PFAS and biosolids will become a requirement in the state of Washington, probably nationwide,” Charles said.
Morrison said the microchip companies in Camas use PFAS as coolants in the manufacturing process. They also consume large volumes of water, which is contaminated with PFAS during manufacturing and then released as wastewater, she said. Currently, there is no evidence to prove whether Morrison’s claims are true. However, testing and enforcement related to contamination from stormwater runoff is likely to come as new state and federal regulations are put in place.
According to Camas’s 2022 general sewer plan, the city has three major industrial customers — TSMC, Analog Devices and nLIGHT — that are required to submit industrial discharge monitoring reports to the state Department of Ecology. On average, the three produce about 920,000 gallons of wastewater per day, which represents a large portion of the city’s total inflows to its wastewater treatment facility. Of the three, TSMC accounts for about 68 percent of that total, Analog Devices is 31 percent and nLIGHT is 0.33 percent.
There’s a reason why nLIGHT’s water consumption is tiny in comparison with TSMC and Analog Devices.
“We do not manufacture chips in the Camas area,” said nLIGHT CEO Scott Keeney, adding that its manufacturing is done in Vancouver.
Keeney said nLIGHT recognizes there are legitimate concerns about the use of PFAS in the semiconductor industry.
“Currently, nLIGHT operates two local semiconductor sites in Southwest Washington and does not utilize PFAS at either site,” COO Chris Schechter said.
Analog Devices is working with the city to address possible PFAS contamination from its processes.
“Analog Devices takes compliance and environmental stewardship very seriously,” said Ferda Millan, spokeswoman for the company, adding that the company is “working with regulators and industry groups to ensure the company’s processes comply with regulations.”
Like other microchip makers, Analog Devices is looking for alternatives to using PFAS. Millan said the company has convened an internal working group to explore other production methods.
“In some cases, there are no known alternatives to PFAS to produce these goods,” Millan said.
Calls to TSMC for comment on this story were not returned.
Well 13 is back in service, at least for now. The well was turned back on May 15 after two of the city’s other wells were taken out of service for repairs. Well 13 is expected to remain in service through the fall and will then be turned off again through the winter.
