The Environmental Protection Agency will hold a public meeting from 6 to 8 p.m. Tuesday at the Aquashicola Fire Company to update the Palmerton community on upcoming cleanup actions involving the site and the public water system.

Those on public water and those with private wells are encouraged to attend. EPA will answer questions on well testing, health concerns and short-and long-term solutions to keep the water clean.

Palmerton hopes the groundwater treatment system that’s expected to be installed and operational by the middle of next year will clear up the borough’s drinking water.

The system will be implemented under EPA’s Superfund Removal program. The treatment system, in conjunction with the EPA, will be put in at the Palmerton Municipal Authority production wells, an area made public by the Palmerton Zinc Pile Superfund Site.

Borough Manager Autumn Canfield said the Palmerton Municipal Authority has been working with the state Department of Environmental Protection to address the issue of contaminants in the borough’s water system, and added it’s a “systemwide” problem.

When the Palmerton Municipal Authority detected per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances in its municipal water supply wells in mid-2024, the federal EPA tested soil, groundwater and surface water from the Superfund site in July 2025 to check for PFAS.

The results showed several PFAS compounds in most of the samples, including the areas revegetated as part of the site cleanup in the 1990s and early 2000s. Groundwater concentrations were similar to those detected in the Palmerton Municipal Authority wells near the site.

Specifically, perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA) and perfluorooctane sulfonate acid (PFOS) were detected at concentrations above EPA’s 2024 Maximum Contaminant Levels of 4 parts per trillion. MCL is the maximum level allowed of a contaminant in water delivered to users of a public water system.

Beginning in January 2024, water systems servicing over 350 customers were required by the state DEP to start initial compliance monitoring for two PFAS chemicals, PFOA and PFOS.

PFAS often show up in wild caught fish, dust particles, food that was packaged in different types of containers (such as popcorn), cleaning products, stain resistant carpet, water repellent clothing, nonstick cookware, fast food wrappers, pizza boxes, candy wrappers, and even certain plastic containers used for drinking. They are also used in industrial processes and in firefighting foams.

The standard for PFOS is 18 parts per trillion, and PFOA is 14 parts per trillion. PFOS at Entry Point 102 were found at a level of 48.6ng/L on May 14 in the drinking water.

The second quarter average is 35ng/L for PFOS and 31.ng for PFOAs.