Johnson County residents took to calling on local officials in 2022 after noticing issues with their health and livestock. They believe those issues are connected to biosolids fertilizer, made from Fort Worth’s sewage sludge, that was applied to nearby farmland.
Now, commissioners say the 200,000-resident county south of Fort Worth is in a state of disaster after discovering disturbing levels of contamination from PFAS — commonly known as “forever chemicals” — stemming from use of the fertilizer.
Through the disaster declaration the county is making itself eligible for disaster relief funds and requesting assistance from Gov. Greg Abbott. That money would assist affected farmers and help implement safety measures to protect the public’s health and safety, according to a county news release.
“This situation threatens the very foundation of our agricultural community and the safety of our residents,” Johnson County Judge Christopher Boedeker said in a news release Thursday.
Extensive testing on farmland in the county revealed dangerous levels of PFAS — shorthand for per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances — in the fertilizer produced by Fort Worth’s wastewater treatment plant, according to the release. These chemicals are known for accumulating in the environment and break down very slowly.
Synagro, the company who took over Fort Worth’s biosolids processing operations in 2020, produces the fertilizer, also known as treated sewage sludge. The process produces a semisolid, nutrient-rich product which is then applied as fertilizer to land.
The Environmental Protection Agency has not officially defined what dangerous levels of PFAS in biosolids fertilizer looks like, but in a Jan. 14 risk assessment, the agency said “there may be human health risks associated with the exposure to the “forever chemicals” in biosolids. Exposure to the chemicals has been tied to an array of health effects, such as increased risk of cancer, developmental effects or delays in children, and reproductive issues.
Forever chemicals can be found in biosolids coming from wastewater produced by facilities, manufacturers or commercial entities that have a history of using PFAS.
The fertilizer has led to reported deaths of fish and cattle and contaminated groundwater in Johnson County, the release states. Testing confirmed the presence of forever chemicals in soil, groundwater, surface water, water wells and in animal tissue near the affected areas of the county, according to the release.
“We are taking immediate action to protect our citizens and support our farming community through this crisis,” Boedeker said, according to the release.
Johnson County commissioner Larry Woolley, who has been at the forefront of the county’s crusade against the fertilizer over the past five years, said the county’s public water supply has been tested and is not affected.
Johnson County leaders have also met with Texas Agriculture Commissioner Sid Miller about how to receive aid, according to Woolley, and state funding may also be possible for affected farmers. Regardless of where the money comes from, funding would provide relief for residents whose herds were impacted by the fertilizer, said Woolley.
So far, PFAS testing has only been done on one ranch in Johnson County, according to Woolley. With enough funding, the money could also help the county look into additional testing and ongoing monitoring of water and soil quality.
“Bottom line is, it’s about pursuing assistance for our people,” said Woolley.
Synagro was met with a civil lawsuit by five Johnson County residents in February 2024 after environmental crimes investigator Dana Ames found high levels of contamination in a farmer’s land and cattle. In the lawsuit, the farmers argued the company is liable for the deaths of animals and health issues allegedly caused by Synagro’s fertilizer produced in Fort Worth.
Fort Worth’s water department, which has a contract with Synagro to produce biosolids at its Village Creek Water Reclamation Facility, declined to comment on the declaration. The biosolids contract has been the subject of conversations between City Council members, with council discussing “legal issues” regarding the Synagro contract during its Feb. 4 closed meeting.
Synagro did not immediately respond to the Report’s requests for comment, but has denied all allegations in the suit, calling them “unproven and novel.” Synagro filed a motion to dismiss the lawsuit on Jan. 21, court records show.
None of the plaintiffs themselves used Synagro products, and the biosolids applied to neighboring properties met all EPA and Texas Commission on Environmental Quality requirements, a Synagro spokesperson previously told the Report.
Under a potential law filed by Rep. Helen Kerwin, R-Cleburne, Texas manufacturers could see new limits when it comes to using PFAS.
The lawmaker filed House Bill 1674, which would prohibit the manufacturing and distribution of certain levels of forever chemicals. The law would also require manufacturers to send a sample to test for PFAS. If the test detects a certain concentration of the PFAS in the sample, the manufacturer would be required to safely dispose of the batch in which the sample was taken.
Nicole Lopez is the environment reporter for the Fort Worth Report. Contact her at nicole.lopez@fortworthreport.org.
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This article first appeared on Fort Worth Report and is republished here under a Creative Commons license.