Jasper Water Tests Show No Detectable PFAS Levels, Official Says

Jasper's drinking water contains no detectable levels of PFAS "forever chemicals," Water and Gas Superintendent Tim Doersam told the Utility Service Board at its March 18 meeting, closing out a testing program that began with a compromised sample in 2023.

The clean bill came after a rocky start. During the initial round of four tests Jasper Municipal Water conducted in 2023 under the federal Unregulated Contaminant Monitoring Rule (UCMR5), a trace level of perfluorobutanoic acid (PFBA) showed up. Doersam said that result was not a reliable indicator of what was actually in the water. "We found that the first test was contaminated," he told the board. The problem traced to sampling conditions: protocols issued after that first test specified that personnel could not have recently used soaps or shampoos, worn synthetic clothing, or handled materials containing PFAS before collecting a sample. Those guidelines did not exist when Jasper ran its initial test.

The three subsequent rounds in 2023 detected no PFAS compounds. The Indiana Department of Environmental Management, which independently sampled every community public water system in the state including Jasper's, also found nothing.

PFAS, shorthand for per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances, are synthetic compounds used since the 1940s in non-stick cookware, firefighting foam, waterproof fabrics, and everyday products like shampoo and dental floss. They resist breaking down in the environment or the human body, prompting state and federal agencies to require testing of public water supplies.

The PFAS update was one of several items the board addressed Tuesday. Members approved a $73,175.60 change order for a water main replacement project at 13th and Dorbett streets, with Copper Ridge Contracting handling the work. The board also passed a resolution supporting Jasper Utilities' continued participation in a natural gas purchasing program through the Public Energy Foundation of America and Utility Gas Management, a mechanism that lets the city lock in portions of its gas supply to buffer against winter price spikes. A separate resolution authorized a loan application through the Indiana State Revolving Fund, which offers financing as low as zero percent, to support Jasper's lead service line replacement program.

On the maintenance front, hydrant flushing is scheduled to begin April 6 and run four to six weeks; city officials asked drivers to slow down near work zones. The Beaver Lake drain was closed March 16 after water levels rose.

The meeting also served as Mayor Dean Vonderheide's last with the board. Members thanked him for his support, and Vonderheide commended the board for its commitment to maintaining the city's utilities system.