Cecilia Lei

Phyllis recently traveled to Stella, a town in northern Wisconsin that's dealing with the consequences of PFAS contamination in private water wells.

Stella is picturesque, with pristine lakes and exceptional fishing and hunting, making it an outdoor enthusiast's dream.

The sludge is an effective fertilizer, and the company operating the paper mill was given permission by the state to truck it out of the site and spread millions of pounds of it on farmland in the area.

That practice went on for decades, and as Phyllis notes, happened before the effects of these chemicals was fully understood.

During his visit to Stella, Phyllis spoke to Kristen Hanneman, who lives on a farm.

In 2022, she was mailed an offer by state scientists to test her well.

She accepted, not thinking much of it, but the results would upend her entire life.

Hanneman was told that the water her kids grew up drinking contained dangerous PFAS levels thousands of times higher than federal legal limits.

Stella is only one community facing this problem.

More cities and towns nationwide, especially those near industrial and military sites, are dealing with PFAS contamination.

The chemicals are also colorless and tasteless, meaning it's undetectable once it's in your glass.

According to AP, at least 20 states don't test private wells for PFAS outside of areas where contamination is already suspected, meaning it's difficult to detect widespread problems.

In states that do offer testing, residents often wait years for help and receive far fewer resources than people who use municipal tap water.

Private water wells are not regulated for quality or safety by the federal government, or in most cases, by states either.

As a result, the responsibility falls to homeowners.

Last May, the EPA announced it would weaken limits on PFAS in drinking water as part of the Trump administration's effort to roll back environmental regulations.

The change came after the Biden administration implemented the first national standards on PFAS in 2024.

And finally, a few other stories we're following.

In Hong Kong, the pro-democracy tycoon Jimmy Lai has been sentenced to 20 years in prison under national security charges brought in by the pro-Beijing government.

It's the harshest sentence to be given under the controversial law.