Kalispell officials plan more testing, possibly shutting down wells with discovery of forever chemicals in drinking water

Kalispell Public Works officials acknowledged Thursday that failing to publicize the detection of forever chemicals in city water earlier was likely a mistake.

Deputy Public Works Director Keith Haskins told attendees at a March 7 open house on the presence of PFAS contaminants in two municipal wells that the city was not required to disclose the findings. 

“I think part of it is we’re not required to report it, and part of it is we don't want to unnecessarily raise concern when we don’t really know how we’re going to move forward or what the risk really is to the individual person,” Haskins said, addressing residents’ concerns about the delay in notification.