A six-month investigation by The Daily Chronicle has uncovered widespread contamination of drinking water supplies across the American Midwest, with per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) detected at dangerous levels in 47 communities spanning five states.

The investigation, which involved testing water samples from over 200 municipal water systems, found that many communities had PFAS levels two to five times above the federal limits established by the EPA in 2025.