What testing found in Parchment's water
Water serving Parchment residents now contains PFOS at 1.43 times the federal limit, according to recent EPA testing.
The Kalamazoo water system, which has served Parchment since the city's emergency water supply switch in 2018, detected PFOS at an average of 5.725 parts per trillion across four positive samples out of 26 collected. The federal limit for PFOS is 4 ppt. The system also detected PFOA at exactly 4 ppt in one sample, matching the federal limit for that compound.
The testing found three additional PFAS compounds below federal limits: PFHxS averaged 3.675 ppt (the federal limit is 10 ppt), PFBS averaged 6.1833 ppt (no federal limit set), and PFPeA averaged 4.6667 ppt (no federal limit set).
The Kalamazoo system serves 192,992 people across multiple communities, including Parchment.
These samples were collected between 2023 and 2026 as part of the EPA's fifth Unregulated Contaminant Monitoring Rule. The samples are taken at the entry point to the distribution system, before water reaches homes.
The EPA finalized drinking water limits for PFOA and PFOS in April 2024, determining that there is no safe level of exposure to these compounds.
What this means for Parchment residents
PFOS and PFOA are linked to serious health problems at very low concentrations. The EPA determined that PFOA exposure increases the risk of kidney cancer, testicular cancer, liver damage, immune system suppression, and developmental harm to fetuses and infants. PFOS carries similar risks, including thyroid disease, liver damage, immune effects, and reproductive harm.
The C8 Science Panel, which studied PFOA exposure in West Virginia and Ohio for over a decade, found probable links between PFOA and pregnancy-induced hypertension, thyroid disease, ulcerative colitis, and high cholesterol in addition to kidney and testicular cancer.
Pregnant women, nursing mothers, infants, and people with compromised immune systems face higher risks from PFAS exposure.
People are exposed to PFAS primarily by drinking contaminated water and using it for cooking. Preparing infant formula with contaminated tap water is a particular concern because babies drink more water relative to their body weight than adults. Exposure through bathing and showering is minimal because PFAS do not readily absorb through skin.
Where these chemicals came from
Parchment experienced one of the worst PFAS contamination crises ever recorded in Michigan. In July 2018, testing of the city's public water supply found 1,587 parts per trillion total PFAS, including 740 ppt PFOA and 670 ppt PFOS. At the time, it was the highest PFAS contamination ever measured in a Michigan public water system, according to Michigan's PFAS Response program.
Michigan declared a state of emergency. The city issued a "do not drink" advisory and within weeks shut down its three contaminated wells. Parchment's roughly 1,200 customers, about 3,100 people, were connected to the City of Kalamazoo's water system.
The contamination was traced to the Crown Vantage paper mill landfill in Parchment. For decades, the mill had used PFAS-containing chemicals to make paper grease and oil resistant. Those chemicals leached into groundwater. Test wells near the landfill showed PFAS concentrations as high as 11,500 ppt, according to Michigan's PFAS Response program.
In 2021, 3M and Georgia-Pacific agreed to pay $11.9 million to settle claims from Parchment residents over the contamination, WaterWorld reported.
Studies have continued to find PFAS in the blood of former Parchment residents years after their water supply was switched. Environmental Health News reported that researchers detected elevated PFAS levels in residents' blood even after the connection to Kalamazoo's water, showing how these chemicals persist in the human body.
What Parchment is doing about it
Parchment no longer operates its own water system. Since the 2018 emergency, residents receive water from the City of Kalamazoo.
The current UCMR 5 testing shows that Kalamazoo's water supply contains PFOS above the new federal limit. Water utilities have until 2027 to complete initial compliance monitoring and until 2029 to install treatment if needed to meet the new standards.
CheckYourWater was unable to find recent public statements from the City of Kalamazoo regarding their plans to address the PFOS detection or what treatment options they are considering.
Parchment's original contaminated wells remain shut down. Michigan's PFAS Response program continues to monitor groundwater at the Crown Vantage site.
Steps Parchment residents can take today
Residents can take action now to reduce their exposure:
Request the most recent Consumer Confidence Report from the City of Kalamazoo to see the full water quality testing results. Federal law requires utilities to provide this report annually.
Install a water filter certified to remove PFAS. Look for filters certified under NSF/ANSI Standard 53 or Standard 58. Standard 53 covers activated carbon filters, including pitcher filters and under-sink units. Standard 58 covers reverse osmosis systems. Check that the specific filter model lists PFOA and PFOS removal on its certification.
If you have an infant, use filtered water to prepare formula. Babies consume more water relative to their body weight than adults and face higher risks from contamination.
Attend Kalamazoo City Commission meetings and Parchment City Council meetings to ask officials about their plans to meet the new federal PFAS limits. Meeting schedules are available on each city's website.
Learn more about PFAS contamination and what you can do at CheckYourWater's action page.
Review the full testing data for the Kalamazoo water system at the system data page.
Full test results
Complete testing data for the Kalamazoo water system, including all PFAS compounds tested and detection frequencies, is available at /system/MI0003520.
Data comes from the EPA's Unregulated Contaminant Monitoring Rule 5 program. Samples were collected between 2023 and 2026. UCMR 5 tests are taken at the entry point to the distribution system, before any household-level filtration.