HARRISBURG, PA — State environmental and health officials have issued a “Do Not Eat” advisory for all fish species in Briar Creek in Columbia County and Middle Spring Creek in Cumberland and Franklin counties after testing found elevated levels of PFOS, a long-lasting industrial chemical linked to health risks.
What This Means for You
- Anglers are advised not to eat any fish from the affected sections of Briar Creek and the entire Middle Spring Creek watershed.
- Trout stocking in those waters has been suspended until further notice.
- The state is investigating pollution sources and installing drinking water filtration systems for affected residents.
Chemical Levels Trigger Advisory
The Pennsylvania Departments of Environmental Protection and Health, along with the Pennsylvania Fish and Boat Commission, issued the advisory after fish tissue samples showed PFOS levels above 0.04 parts per million, the state’s “do not eat” threshold.
PFOS, or Perfluorooctane Sulfonate, is part of a group of manmade compounds often called “forever chemicals” because they break down very slowly in the environment and can accumulate in water, soil, wildlife, and the human body.
“Protecting public health is a top priority for us. Advisories like these are not something that we recommend lightly and DEP will continue to sample fish species and revisit this recommendation in the future,” DEP Secretary Jessica Shirley said.
Areas Covered by the Advisory
The advisory applies to:
- Briar Creek, West Branch Briar Creek, and portions of East Branch Briar Creek downstream of Briar Creek Reservoir in Columbia County.
- The entire Middle Spring Creek watershed in Cumberland and Franklin counties.
The advisory does not include Briar Creek Reservoir itself or portions of East Branch Briar Creek upstream of the reservoir…