Louisville Water Co. says a recent spike in PFAS contamination in the Ohio River may be tied to illegal discharges from a Chemours plant in West Virginia that has a long history of pollution violations.
Morgan Watkins reports for Louisville Public Media.
In short:
- Chemours’ Washington Works facility in West Virginia has discharged higher-than-allowed levels of PFAS into the Ohio River since 2019, violating its pollution permit.
- The Louisville Water Co. traced a December 2024 spike in PFAS levels at its intake to the upstream plant, though Chemours disputes the link and claims it is cooperating with regulators.
- A federal court is weighing a request to force Chemours to immediately comply with pollution limits; the judge moved the full trial to fall 2025, citing public health concerns.
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