County issues public-health advisory for Muddy Branch tributary, offers well testing and community meeting

County Executive Mark announced a public-health advisory for residents living near a tributary of Muddy Branch and said the Department of Environmental Protection and Health and Human Services will host a community meeting at DuFief Elementary School for affected residents.

Mark said the Washington Suburban Sanitary Commission (WSSC) has assured the county that public drinking water remains safe because the county’s public system does not pull from the stream or nearby ponds. The county has posted warning signs, is distributing flyers to homes in the affected area and is offering to test private wells within a one-mile radius of the advisory sites.

Mark said the county has created a task force comprising the Maryland Department of the Environment, Montgomery County’s Department of Environmental Protection, Health and Human Services, WSSC and Parks to coordinate testing, additional groundwater and soil sampling, and a full investigation of the contamination’s extent. He referenced the county’s 2023 lawsuit against 24 manufacturers tied to PFAS chemicals and described the effort as part of a broader cleanup and accountability push.

Officials encouraged residents to avoid contact with the stream or ponds, to refrain from fishing or eating fish caught in the affected waters, and to wash thoroughly if skin comes into contact with the water. Residents with private wells were urged to take advantage of county offers for testing. Maps, FAQs and sign-ups for email and text alerts were listed at montgomerycountymd.gov/pfas.

Dr. Davis (Health and Human Services) reiterated that public drinking water remains safe and reiterated outreach to well owners and testing offers. The county said it will continue to update residents as sampling and investigation proceed.