Bennington region has the most severe PFAS contamination problem in the state, and new research finds it is getting worse

By Greta Solsaa | VTDigger | March 20, 2025

Read the full article by Greta Solsaa (VTDigger)

"When Laura Martin bought her home in south Bennington seven years ago, she was well aware of the problems of PFAS contamination in Bennington’s private well supply and groundwater.

Based on data at the time, Martin said she thought that her new home was out of the range of contamination from a teflon-coated fabrics ChemFab factory that shuttered over 20 years ago. Just in case, Martin, a professor of environmental studies at Williams College, tested the drinking water well supply for PFAS before purchasing the property, finding no detectable sign of PFAS. 

But a recent round of state tests, done in October 2023, detected PFAS in her home’s well supply, which was particularly troubling for Martin as she was raising her 1-year-old child at the time."

Location:

• North AmericaUS
• North AmericaUSVermont

Topics:

• ChemicalsPFAS
• ProductsFirefighting foam
• Environment
• Wildlife
• Affected community
• Health
• Measurement Techniques
• Monitoring Data
• PFAS Uses