Rural county leaders examine how PFAS contamination affects drinking water, agriculture, wastewater systems, and local communities.

PFAS contamination presents distinct challenges for Maryland’s rural counties, where private wells, small water systems, agricultural operations, wastewater infrastructure, and biosolids management can all intersect with emerging state and federal requirements. At MACo’s 2026 Summer Conference, Queen Anne’s County Commissioner Jack Wilson moderated a discussion with Zach Schafer, Assistant Secretary of the Maryland Department of the Environment, on the risks facing rural communities and the policy, financial, and operational considerations counties must navigate as PFAS standards continue to evolve.

For rural counties, addressing PFAS will require continued coordination around testing, treatment, public communication, agricultural impacts, and the substantial costs associated with managing contamination.