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Updates on Salisbury private wells sampling for PFAS

Resources for our community

This page is updated regularly. Last update: July 31, 2025

For over 100 years, Perdue has been more than just a business in this community — we’ve been neighbors. Part of being a good neighbor means ensuring the safety and well-being of the communities where we live and work.

Recently, groundwater tests at our Perdue AgriBusiness facility located at 6906 Zion Church Road, Salisbury, Maryland have revealed elevated levels of PFAS (per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances). To further investigate this issue and better understand the situation, the Maryland Department of Environment (MDE) has requested that we test properties within a prescribed radius of this facility.

The source of the PFAS in the groundwater at our Perdue AgriBusiness facility has not been determined. Working with MDE, Perdue AgriBusiness is dedicated to actively investigating all possibilities, including other potential sources in the area.

As a company committed to protecting this region, and in cooperation with both MDE and the Wicomico County Department of Health (WCDH), Perdue AgriBusiness is working with independent PFAS experts at Langan Engineering and Environmental Services to conduct this testing and treat any instances of PFAS at properties within the designated testing area.

As of July 2025, experts have completed well water testing and treatment systems have been installed at nearly all impacted properties in the designated testing zone. Perdue AgriBbusiness also completed upgrades at the Zion Church Road site to remove potential PFAS sources by treating wastewater and upgrading the facility’s fire suppression system.

We are committed to protecting the communities in Maryland. Throughout this process, we will maintain transparent and timely communication, including through this webpage.

Progress update & timeline

This is the current status of our well water testing and mitigation efforts in the MDE-designated zone around our facility in Salisbury, Maryland.

  • Residential testing is complete. Well water testing is complete for 100% of properties within the MDE-designated testing area that have requested tests. Through this effort and in collaboration with local residents, Perdue has performed private well testing for 673 properties.
  • Installation of PFAS treatment systems is nearly complete. Treatment systems have been installed at more than 95% of the properties where elevated levels of PFAS were detected. These point of entry treatment systems (POETs) will treat well water for PFAS and reduce PFAS to non-detectable levels. Perdue and experts from Langan Engineering & Environmental Services (Langan) are coordinating installations at remaining properties where POETs are needed; however, some owners have not responded or have declined Perdue’s offer to install a POET system. Perdue remains committed to installing a POET system at every impacted property within the testing area that requests one.
  • Comprehensive site upgrades: Throughout this process, we have followed MDE’s direction and prioritized identifying and mitigating any PFAS detected within private drinking wells in the designated area around our facility. As we complete testing and POET installations, we are also updating our facility to treat wastewater and remove potential PFAS sources at the Zion Church Road site. This includes:
    • Installation of PFAS treatment system: a state-of-the-art, Comprehensive Outflow PFAS Treatment System is now operational at the facility. Test results show that this system has reduced PFAS concentrations in treated wastewater to trace levels. While there are currently no EPA standards for PFAS levels in wastewater, this new system achieves Perdue’s objective of substantially reducing PFAS levels at the Zion Church Road facility to benefit the community.
    • PFAS-free fire suppression system: while the exact source of PFAS has not been confirmed, the ongoing investigation by Langan suggests that past discharges of the facility’s previous fire suppression system – which used Aqueous Film-Forming Foam (AFFF), a substance known to contain PFAS – may be a contributingwas a likely contributing factor. A new non-PFAS fire suppression system is now fully operational at the facility.

  • MDE approved the PFAS Investigation Plan to further explore potential sources at the site. Perdue continues to collaborate closely with MDE on a comprehensive sampling and investigative effort throughout the Zion Church Road facility. While the source has not been confirmed, the ongoing investigation by Langan points to areas of interest at the site based on current test results and groundwater movement at the facility. In June 2025, MDE approved the work plan submitted by experts from Langan. The plan sets out a comprehensive process designed to identify and understand the presence of any PFAS at the site. This investigative process is iterative, and each step is informed by a growing, comprehensive set of data that supports the goal of identifying and treating any instances of PFAS and informing future guidelines and procedures at the facility. Read the full work plan here.

Our comprehensive work plans

Every month experts from Langan Engineering and Environmental Services prepare progress reports on our behalf that are submitted to the Maryland Department of Environment for review and approval. These reports include details about testing, monitoring and ongoing efforts to identify and eliminate the source of the PFAS. We've made the reports available for download below.

Well-testing area

Perdue AgriBusiness is working with experts from Langan Engineering and Environmental Services (Langan) to test the private well water of properties within the official testing zone. This includes the initial approximate half-mile radius recommended and established by the Maryland Department of Environment and the expanded area to the west of the Zion Church Road facility. In total, the testing area encompasses 920 homes.

Early testing revealed elevated levels of certain PFAS which led Perdue AgriBusiness, in conjunction with the MDE, to expand the initial testing zone to the west of the Zion Church Road facility. Notification letters were sent to homeowners within the expanded testing zone on November 5, 2024.

The yellow outline represents the original testing area, the orange outline identifies the expanded testing location around the Perdue AgriBusiness facility.

To determine if your property is located within the designated testing zone, please enter your full address in the search bar below.

You can find additional information on PFAS Water Sampling, Testing and Treatment Process HERE.

Testing results & next steps

Test results will determine the presence and levels of six PFAS compounds that are regulated by the US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) in public drinking water.

Because PFAS are commonly occurring chemicals, the tests check for instances where the presence of chemicals exceeds the levels that the EPA has established for public drinking water. There are three potential outcomes for the test results. Below, we’ve indicated what each outcome means and your next steps.

  • No PFAS Detected: If your property’s groundwater does not show elevated levels of PFAS, no further actions are planned at this time.
  • PFAS Detected: If your property’s groundwater shows that PFAS are present, but levels do not exceed the EPA’s standards for public drinking water, follow-up sampling is recommended and will be independently conducted by Langan. Langan will contact you in the coming weeks to inquire about, and arrange for, follow-up sampling.
  • Elevated PFAS Levels Detected: If your property’s groundwater does show elevated levels of PFAS that exceed the EPA’s standards for public drinking water, the Maryland Department of the Environment (MDE) recommends that homeowners install treatment devices on any outlets from which they will be drinking water. Perdue AgriBusiness is offering to install treatment systems to treat the drinking water supply for PFAS, where appropriate, at no cost to property owners or occupants. Perdue AgriBusiness will contact you with additional details regarding potential treatment options, including a point-of-entry treatment system.

PFAS Water Sampling, Testing and Treatment Process Explained HERE

Frequently asked questions

We understand you may have questions about this effort. We are committed to maintaining transparent and timely communication with our neighbors through this process. Below is a list of frequently asked questions. For additional information, please contact Perdue AgriBusiness through this form.

Which properties are getting their water tested?

As part of this effort, we are testing the private well water of properties within the radius recommended by and established in conjunction with the Maryland Department of Environment. This includes properties within the original radius as well as additional properties to the west of the Zion Church Road facility. Please refer to the map above to view the official testing area.

Why was the testing area expanded?

Some of the early test results detected elevated levels of certain PFAS and led to our decision, together with the MDE, to expand the radius to the west of the Zion Church Road facility. Perdue AgriBusiness will continue to follow MDE’s guidance around well water sampling and testing.

Independent PFAS consultants from Langan are actively reviewing and evaluating preliminary results with MDE as they become available.

How can I schedule a well water test?

Please use this link to complete the online questionnaire. Our experts from Langan Engineering and Environmental Services (Langan) will contact you to select a convenient time and date to collect a sample.

When will someone come to collect a water sample at my property?

Langan is working to collect samples as quickly and effectively as possible. Every property within the prescribed radius that completes the questionnaire and consents to testing will be contacted to schedule well water sampling.

Can I get my water tested if I don’t live within the testing area?

Perdue AgriBusiness is currently testing the private well water of properties within the official radius jointly established by the MDE and Perdue AgriBusiness. These tests are designed to determine if PFAS exist in the area groundwater, and if so, the nature and extent of such chemicals.

When will I get the results of my water sample?

Test results will be mailed to property owners within one to three weeks of the samples being collected.

If elevated PFAS levels are detected in my water, what will happen?

Perdue AgriBusiness is installing treatment systems to treat the drinking water supply for PFAS, where appropriate, at no cost to property owners or occupants. Langan will contact property owners with additional details regarding the installation of a point-of-entry treatment system.

How can I get bottled water delivered to my home?

Perdue AgriBusiness is providing free bottled water to properties within the testing area throughout this process. To request bottled water, please call 866-866-3703 or send us a message here.

What are PFAS chemicals?

PFAS stands for per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances. The term encompasses thousands of man-made substances that have been in widespread use for decades and can be found in many different consumer, commercial, and industrial products. They have also been found in water, air, fish, and soil at many locations throughout the country.

Where did the PFAS come from?

The investigation into the source of the PFAS continues, but firefighting foam (AFFF) used in the previous fire suppression system remains a likely source. This system has been proactively removed and replaced. AFFF is widely used across many industries and was not subject to PFAS-related testing or regulations at the time it was accidentally discharged prior to 2020.

What health impacts do PFAS have?

Information about the effects of PFAS, including potential health risks, is available from the Maryland Department of the Environment.

What does a POET system do?

A Point-of-Entry Treatment (POET) system filters your home’s water at the point it enters the building. It is designed to remove PFAS from all water used in your home, including drinking, cooking, and bathing.

Who installs and maintains the POET system?

Perdue AgriBusiness is working with Langan Engineering to install and maintain POET systems.

What if I didn't resopnd to earlier outreach, can I still request testing or a POET system?

Yes. If your home is within the designated testing area, you can still request well water testing or a POET system. Please contact us through the form on this webpage or call the water sampling helpline.

Resources

Additional information on PFAS is available through The Maryland Department of the Environment and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency.

Langan investigative workplan

Langan investigative workplan

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PFAS in Maryland (MDE)

PFAS in Maryland (MDE)

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PFAS in Drinking Wells (MDE)

PFAS in Drinking Wells (MDE)

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PFAS Impact (EPA)

PFAS Impact (EPA)

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Contact

We are committed to protecting the communities in Maryland. Throughout this process, we will maintain transparent and timely communication, including through this webpage. Thank you for your understanding and cooperation.

Water Sampling

Water Sampling

For questions about water sampling or the questionnaire you received, please call 866-866-3703

PFAS Impact

PFAS Impact

For questions about PFAS, please contact The Maryland Department of Health, 410-537-3000

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