THURMONT, Md. (DC News Now) — The town of Thurmont is undergoing a series of tests to make sure its drinking water is safe, but with that comes a waiting game for people living there.

In November and December of 2021, the Maryland Department of the Environment conducted samples of Thurmont’s drinking water.

Elevated levels of PFAs — known as ‘forever chemicals’ — were found in the water.

There is no current standard for those contaminants found in drinking levels, which is why it’s not clear if the water in Thurmont poses a danger.

The state sent a letter to the town’s water assistant superintendent in December of 2022. It strongly recommended that public notice go out to customers. It also said the town should conduct additional sampling and develop a plan to reduce the chemicals in drinking water, which the mayor didn’t receive until a later date.

“In October, we were well within the range that they specified, but now we’re in this low we’re in the range that is unknown because the EPA and the MDE have not given us numbers to gauge by. We don’t know what the numbers are, they’re going to want to get treated for so we’re going to have to design systems that remove the PFA PFOA and PFA and is out of the water system,” said Thurmont Mayor John Kinnaird.

Town leaders said they’re waiting on the state to move forward and take action.

The MDE anticipates official chemical standards from the Environmental Protection Agency to be released later this year.

Customers could be receiving a public notice as early as Friday.