TALLAHASSEE, Fla. (WCTV) – A group of doctors, geologists, and local commissioners believe that just under 9 million Floridians are exposed to PFAS (“permanent chemicals”), and one of the sources is Tallahassee’s sewage spray fields.
Dr. Ron Suff of Tallahassee said these “forever chemicals” increase the risk of cancer and thyroid disease.
Sahu and other doctors, geologists and conservationists said the problem likely traced back to the capital’s sewage spray fields.
“PFAS are causing contamination of Florida’s groundwater resources, and approximately 8.9 million Floridians, approximately 40 percent of Floridians, have PFAS chemicals in their drinking water,” Saf said. “So it was no surprise at all when we found rising water levels in Woodville.”
The group is asking the city to conduct an investigation into the wastewater field, possibly assisted or paid for by the Leon County Health Department and the Florida Department of Environmental Protection.
“PFAS chemicals are known as permanent chemicals because they can persist for decades in humans and centuries in the environment. There is no safe exposure, and even trace amounts can pose health risks,” Saf said.
NEW: A group of doctors, geologists and local commissioners held a press conference to announce that they believe PFAS (“forever chemicals”) are coming from Tallahassee’s sewage spray fields.
“There’s no way to even put a band-aid on it,” says Dr. Ron Saf. pic.twitter.com/kEjkO6g01U
— Matt Hoffmann (@ByMattHoffmann) March 23, 2026
“Given the confirmed association between the spray field and Wakulla Spring, the presence of PFAS contamination in Woodville along the flow path from the spray field to the spring, and the lack of alternative sources, it is scientifically reasonable to consider the spray field as a potential causative agent,” geologist Fred Kocher said.
FAMU professor Dr. Donald Axelrod estimates that proper research can cost hundreds of thousands of dollars, which he thinks is money well spent.
“PFAS are present in almost all wastewater unless treated in a factory, so it’s kind of a simple logic,” Axelrod says.
Scientists said one municipal well and several private wells in the Woodville area tested positive for PFAS, but that municipal wells do not pose the same risk to residents as private wells.
They believe the spray field is a conduit, but they can’t say for sure. In addition to research on PFAS, they are also calling for increased monitoring by local physicians in coordination with county health departments.
In response to Monday’s press conference, a City of Tallahassee spokesperson shared information dating back to 2014 and said it “demonstrates the city’s high priority in learning about new containments known as PFAS.”
“What concerns us is that this chemical could leach from the soil and enter our water supply, Aquafer. The city’s Environmental Compliance Department and Underground Utilities and Public Infrastructure Department sampled 11 of the city’s wells for PFAS from 2014 to 2016,” City Manager Reece Goad wrote in a May 2019 email. “While other public water systems have detected the presence of PFAS above health advisory limits, city samples did not show the presence of the substances.”
That has clearly changed. When tested in 2024, one was well above the minimum reporting threshold.
The City is also taking steps to optimize flow within its water distribution system to ensure it continues to meet drinking water standards and is planning additional costs to meet the new standards. City officials said in a separate email that the city complies with the Safe Drinking Water Act.
A city spokesperson did not address the spray field issue raised by the scientists on Monday or say whether the city would pay for the research.
Leon County Commissioner Bill Proctor said he and City Commissioner Jeremy Matlow will write a joint letter by Wednesday asking the city to fund the investigation and get the state involved.
The following information is provided by the City of Tallahassee.
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