MARINETTE, WI (WTAQ-WLUK) – Tyco is making efforts to clean the groundwater from its Fire Technology Center in Marinette.
In March, the state filed a lawsuit regarding PFAS pollution in Marinette County. Gov. Tony Evers has also authorized the DNR to begin working on rules to limit PFAS in groundwater.
The company has created a treatment system that will remove 95% of the harmful chemicals.
Tyco officials showed off their new Groundwater Extraction and Treatment System Tuesday afternoon at their treatment building.
It will extract, transport and treat groundwater. Then the system will release groundwater that will meet DNR standards for surface water.
“It’s something we are navigating through as a community, and as a whole, we are really stepping up to do our part, and we know that it’s complicated,” says Denice Nelson, Senior Director of Environmental Remediation for and Tyco Johnson Controls Inc.
Nelson tells FOX 11 this is a long-term solution to the problem and that they will continue to update the system when needed.
“It is something that we built to really be able to look to the future and adapt to changing regulations and knowing we might have to add on other technologies, so we really built for the future mind.”
Mayor of Marinette Steve Genisot says this is one of many steps needed to resolve the issue.
“It certainly is not easy to take that chemical out of the groundwater, so it’s going to take years to work on that but at least it’s a step forward.”
Genisot tells FOX 11 he believes residents would like to see more.
“Well, I think there’s still the issue of the contamination going off site and going towards the town of Peshtigo, so there are some private well owners that will need some long-term solutions to their water issues.”
Tyco says individuals who have contaminated drinking water will not see a quick change from the system.
“We stop it from getting worse, and it slowly starts dissipating, but it’s going to be 10s or 20s of years before you see it really drop down to where people would like it to be,” says Nelson.
The company says it will soon be delivering a long-term source of clean and safe drinking water to residents in the Town of Peshtigo.
The system will be fully operational by mid October.
