Since 2001, when we first heard about C8, testing of public water systems and blood tests of individuals have been conducted, to find concentrations of the chemical used to make Teflon by DuPont Washington Works. Now, a major test of public water wells is to take place. it's part of an agreement reached late last year between the company and the U.S. E.P.A.

"That consent order set a new drinking water standard of 0.5 parts per billion," Steve Williams of the Ohio Environmental Protection Agency said recently, "as a precaution measure to try to reduce the exposure of C8."

There has been some limited testing of water wells within public service districts in West virginia and Ohio. This will be a broader test, with 9,000 private wells being evaluated.

"This is an expansion of the existing testing," Washington Works Manager Bill Hopkins explained, "to determine if P.F.O.A. exists in ground water in other areas of the counties."

Does this include cities?

"There are some residences which do fall in the city limits, but there are some outside the city limits," Hopkins responded.

Letters have been sent out to the wells determined to be eligible for the testing. The determining factor is whether those wells are used as residents' sole source of drinking water.

Residents with private water wells are being directed to a toll-free number they can call to register for the testing.

That number is 1-866-938-7833...and that's only for people who have private wells, to register for the testing.

People can also log on to our website, www.wtap.com, for a link to the Washington Works website, which has information on the testing.