Synthetic Turf Over the Piedmont Sole Source Aquifer
Poolesville High School (PHS) is one of six schools slated to receive a new synthetic turf field as part of Montgomery Public Schools multi year Capital Improvements Plan. The proposal is being promoted as an upgrade to an aging 35-year-old natural grass field that has been chronically under maintained.
The context in Poolesville is unlike any other school in the county.
The main athletic field at PHS sits directly above the Piedmont Sole Source Aquifer, a federally designated groundwater system that supplies 100% of the Town’s drinking water through a network of 12 municipal wells. The aquifer is also the only water source for nearly 30,000 homes, farms and businesses across rural Montgomery County.
In a community that relies entirely on groundwater, land-use decisions are directly tied to long-term water security. Any project that alters infiltration, runoff, or potential pathways for contamination deserves more scrutiny — not less.
Piedmont and Poolesville Sole Source Aquifers
Aquifer overlay outlined in green straddles Montgomery, Frederick, Carroll and Howard Counties.
PFAS History Matters Here
Poolesville has a recent history of elevated PFAs contamination that led to significant investment in treatment and filtration. Wells #2 and #3 were previously taken offline due to high PFAS levels. Well #2 was returned to service in 2023, but Well #3 remains offline.
Despite the history, The Poolesville Town Commissioners support installing synthetic turf, citing reduced irrigation needs and existing PFAs filtration. Filtration, however, is a mitigation strategy not prevention.
The question before us is not whether the Town can treat pollutants after it enters the water supply. It is whether we should place new, untested contamination risks directly on top of the aquifer we depend on. A well- maintained natural grass field reduces runoff, filters stormwater, and supports groundwater recharge — especially important for communities that rely entirely on groundwater.
The marketing is more confident than the science.
There is no clear evidence that “new tech” synthetic turf is clearly safe for groundwater or injuries. Manufacturers of newer turf systems now highlight “safer chemistry”, Cradle to Cradle™ certification and claims that no intentionally added PFAs from certain regulatory lists are used. Independent research tells a more complicated story.
PFAs may still be present in “PFAS-free” turf systems.
Peer reviewed studies since 2020 continue to detect total fluorine — a PFAS indicator— in synthetic turf fibers, backings and components across brands and product lines. Even when PFAS are not “intentionally added” they may still be present in processing aids, polymer residues, or cross contamination. There is no long-term evidence that newer systems eliminate PFAs or microplastics release into groundwater.
Stormwater can mobilize pollutants.
Independent laboratory and field studies show synthetic turf can shed:
microplastics
infill particles
PFAS compounds
heavy metals
These can migrate into stormwater systems and, in fractured rock geology, into groundwater.
Environmental and health research is incomplete.
There are significant gaps in:
epidemiological studies on long term human exposure
Independent testing on newer infills (including “organic” or plant-based ones)
environmental studies evaluating groundwater impacts on sole source aquifer settings.
These gaps have led multiple states — including Maryland — to restrict or ban PFAS -containing turf components.
Long term waste and replacement costs.
Synthetic fields typically last 8-10 years. They must then be removed and replaced. Disposal remains a major environmental issue with limited recycling options and millions of pounds of plastic per field. Disposal often involves landfilling or incineration.
Imagine the volume of material headed to the Dickerson incinerator every decade.
Injury risks are still higher on turf — especially lower-extremity injuries.
If groundwater concerns aren’t enough, the injury research also raises red flags.
Recent research does not show a consistent reduction in injuries on modern synthetic turf compared to well maintained natural grass. Some studies show similar rates, some show higher rates, but the most robust analysis continue to flag particular injury categories as more common on turf.
Injury data referenced in a County report, A Comparison of Natural Grass and Synthetic Turf Athletic Fields in Montgomery County, relies heavily on a 2022 systemic review summarizing 53 studies published between 1972 and 2020. A large portion of the research conducted on older turf systems and older injury reporting standards. While the review did find mixed overall injury rates, it also noted that all studies reporting lower injury rates on turf were funded by synthetic turfy industry, and that nearly half the of the studies found higher foot and ankle injury rates on artificial turf — across both old and new generation systems.
This review does not capture newer, post-2020 injury data which now includes high quality analysis of modern turf surfaces used in professional and collegiate sports. More recent studies show a clearer pattern.
A 2024 study of the NFL found:
Higher lower-extremity injury rates on artificial turf and
Significantly higher odds of season ending injuries.
A 2024 systematic review specific to foot and ankle injuries concluded:
Across sports and competition levels, foot and ankle injuries are generally more common on artificial turf than on natural grass.
Newer turf “may reduce” some risks compared to older turf technology but the evidence was not conclusive.
What is the path forward?
No community should move forward on a project of this scale without:
Full transparency regarding materials, PFAS testing, infill type, and drainage design.
Independent environmental review, not solely industry claims.
Clear groundwater protection requirements including infiltration analysis, stormwater modeling, and contaminant transport assessment.
Evaluation of alternative field configurations, including improved natural grass management, hybrid systems or better scheduling.
Meaningful community engagement, including well owners and residents that depend on the aquifer. Poolesville High School is a Maryland Certified Green School and a decision like this cuts directly against that ethos.
There is no clear evidence that “new tech” synthetic turf is safe for groundwater or safe for athletes. The scientific literature —especially post 2020— is still evolving, often inconclusive, and consistently identifies chemical, environmental, and injury-related concerns requiring more research.
For a community positioned directly on top of the sole source aquifer, where every land-use decision affects drinking water, these uncertainties matter. Poolesville’s geography is unique. Our water system is vulnerable in ways that suburban fields connected to WSSC simply are not.
Athletic facilities matter.
Drinking water matters.
Is installing synthetic turf over the sole source aquifer worth the risk?