City of Farmington Issues Advisory on Fish Consumption Due to PFAS Contamination

Farmington, Mo. (KFMO) - The City of Farmington is advising residents to avoid eating fish caught from Hager, Thomas, and Giessing Lakes after recent environmental testing found levels of PFAS contamination exceeding draft federal health guidelines. 

City officials say the tests were conducted following the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s 2024 draft human health criteria for per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances, commonly known as PFAS, chemicals linked to potential long-term health effects, including liver and immune system damage.

PFAS are widely used in manufacturing as coating additives, corrosion inhibitors, and wetting agents. The EPA’s draft criteria were issued under the Clean Water Act to protect people from exposure through contaminated water or consumption of fish from affected water bodies. Testing of Farmington’s city-owned lakes revealed PFAS levels above the draft criteria in Hager Lake at the Industrial Park and Giessing and Thomas Lakes at Engler Park. As a result, officials are discouraging the consumption of any fish caught from these locations.

The City of Farmington and the Missouri Department of Conservation jointly manage the lakes and regularly stock them with fish. However, due to the contamination, all fish stocking, including the annual trout release planned for November through February, has been suspended.

City Administrator Greg Beavers says the move is a precautionary step. Signs warning of the health risks will be posted at each lake. Catch-and-release fishing will still be permitted. The city plans to continue testing the lakes regularly to determine when it may be safe to resume stocking fish or allow consumption again.

For more information, residents can contact Farmington City Hall at 573-756-1701 or review the EPA’s draft technical fact sheet on PFAS water quality criteria.