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Ciscomani announces federal funding for PFAS cleanup in Tucson

More funding is on the way for cleaning up PFAS. That’s the group of human-made chemicals used in a wide range of products that’s now being found in drinking water. PFAS have been  found in air, soil and water around the world.

That includes  Tucson. Some wells used for drinking water have been shut down over the last few years here because municipal authorities found high levels of PFAS. The chemicals have been linked to health problems like cancer and immune issues. Earlier this year, the EPA proposed placing formal limits on six different types of PFAS in drinking water. It's the first time the agency has moved to regulate the chemicals, but the limits haven't been finalized yet.

This week, U.S. Rep. Juan Ciscomani announced new federal funding was on the way to help clean up the water. The Republican’s district includes parts of Pima and Cochise counties. 

Ciscomani says $2.25 million in federal funding will go to the city of Tucson for a new well and water treatment facility. The city has already spent roughly $50 million of its own funds addressing PFAS, and has also been awarded a $25 million grant from the state for the same. 

Alisa Reznick is a senior field correspondent covering stories across southern Arizona and the borderlands for the Tucson bureau of KJZZ's Fronteras Desk.