Private Septic Systems Create PFAS Plumes Migrating to Lakes and Shallow Wells

PFAS chemicals that leak out of septic tanks in homes are moving through the ground and into lakes and shallow wells nearby

Tuesday, September 9, 2025 - Many residences and small businesses in rural and suburban regions rely on private septic systems to get rid of wastewater. These systems are important for places that don't have access to city sewer lines, but they might also be contributing to PFAS contamination in ways that aren't obvious. Research indicates that when individuals utilize common items such as stain-resistant cleansers, water-repellent sprays, or specific cosmetics and shampoos, trace levels of PFAS are discharged into the drainage system. The septic tank then gets these chemicals, which don't break down readily, and they gradually seep into the soil and groundwater around them. PFAS can move along subsurface paths over time, creating plumes that can be hundreds of feet long or longer. In places where people get their water from private wells or lakes, this migration can seriously affect the quality of the drinking water. People who are worried have started to get in touch with PFAS water cancer lawyers, especially in areas where ailments that might be linked to exposure are starting to show up. Many people are looking into PFAS water cancer lawsuits in order to get testing, rules, and money for long-term pollution that they didn't know about.

The U.S. released a research report in 2024 that said the Geological Survey (USGS) found PFAS in 61% of water samples taken from locations with shallow water tables near home septic systems. The study looked at places in the Northeast and Midwest, where sandy soils and ancient septic systems are common. Researchers discovered that PFAS was infiltrating the groundwater directly beneath residences and also migrating laterally towards adjacent water bodies, including small lakes utilized for recreational activities or fishing. In some cases, wells that were more than 500 feet away from the original septic source had PFAS levels that could be measured. This is especially worrying because a lot of these systems were created before PFAS were generally known or monitored. Standard septic treatment doesn't work as well on PFAS compounds as it does on other common pollutants like nitrates or bacteria. Also, because each county has its own rules for septic systems and they aren't often checked regularly, problems can sometimes go unnoticed until they get worse. Even newer systems are better at filtering out solids, but they can't get rid of dissolved PFAS chemicals.

This finding has a lot of different effects. Thousands of homes may be unintentionally adding to and suffering from PFAS exposure, and it's not their fault. As science moves forward and more tests are done in specific areas, regulators, environmentalists, and health professionals are expected to pay more attention to how septic systems might cause long-term PFAS pollution. In the short term, voluntary testing of private wells and the surface waters around them can assist in finding the places that have been struck the hardest. Long-term remedies could include upgrading septic systems with better filters, limiting the use of goods that contain PFAS in homes, or even giving at-risk populations access to public water.

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