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PFAS chemicals found in Parchment water

Flickr User Brian Smithson
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https://flic.kr/p/c2LF73

Residents lined up to get cases of free bottled water in Parchment Monday.

The state discovered high levels of contaminants known as PFAS in Parchment city water late last week. 

Jeff Nagel lives in Cooper Township. He's on a private well, but is getting bottled water as a precaution.

He says he has a lot of questions for state and county officials.

"First on my list would be hey if they could test my well, see if it is bad or not. If not then I could drink it and I wouldn't have to keep coming here to get water every time."

Randy Johnson works in Parchment.

He says he's gotten very little information about the water situation.

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"Well my concern is what was in the water and how did it get there? And did they just now find it or has it been there?"

The compounds - in a family of chemicals known as PFAS - are commonly used in firefighting foam and nonstick cookware.

PFAS exposure has been linked to thyroid and kidney disease.

The state will hold a public meeting at Haven Reform Church in Kalamazoo Tuesday night to discuss the ongoing contamination.