Vermont Businiess Magazine GovernorPeter Shumlin met with North Benningtonresidents Tuesday after a number of private wells tested positive for PFOA contamination a week and a half ago. The public drinking sources in Bennington and North Bennington have been tested and are not contaminated. Shumlin also highlighted today that since 2013, routine Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) tests of 10 public drinking sources in Vermont showed no PFOA contamination.The governor and Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) and Department of Healthofficials updated residents on the state’s response to the situation and answered questions from concerned residents.
Governor Shumlin (standing to the right) and other state and local officials met with North Bennington residents to discuss the PFOA contamination of private wells. Courtesy photo.
Updates include:
No Increase in Cancer Rates– Health Department cancer registry data analysts have looked at cancer rates for the two cancers that have been linked with PFOA exposure to compare the North Bennington area with the rest of the state. Kidney cancer incidence rates among residents ofthe North Bennington areaare not statistically different from the rest of Vermont. Testicular cancer incidence rates could not be calculated as there were fewer than six cases over the time period studied(2003-2012).
Responding to Health Concerns of Residents– Health Department staff have reached out to each home that has had PFOA detections and are available to talk with anyone with questions about potential health effects of PFOA at800-439-8550. Information about potential health impacts of PFOA can be found on the Health Departments website atwww.healthvermont.gov.
PFOA Blood Testing Update– The Centers for Disease Control & Prevention/ National Center for Environmental Health has agreed to conduct the laboratory analysis for PFOA in blood for North Bennington residents with contaminated wells. CDC will also provide technical support in epidemiology, study design, and sample collection to the Vermont Department of Health. The Health Department is working in partnership with Southwestern Vermont Medical Center in Bennington to develop a blood sample collection process. Because PFOA stays in the blood for two to four years before reducing levels by half, there is no need to take blood samples before people stop drinking water containing PFOA.
Water Sampling Update– Since March 1st, DEC employees have collected over 135 private drinking water samples. These samples were taken within a 1.5 mile radius around the former Chemfab plant in North Bennington and will be tested for PFOA. This week DEC employees will sample any homes missed during the initial round of testing.
Informational Call Line –An informational call line for residents concerned about PFOA contamination will be available on an ongoing basis,from Monday to Friday, 8 a.m.to 4:30 p.m., at802-828-1038.
PFOA Testing Across Vermont– Routinely, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) samples municipal wells across the United States for emerging chemicals of concern as part of an effort to determine if new chemicals should be added to the list of contaminants monitored by all public water systems. In Vermont, 10 municipal supplies were sampled for PFOA, and other emerging chemicals, between 2013-2015. PFOA was not detected in any of the municipal water wells: Bennington, Barre City, Brattleboro, Burlington, Jay Peak Basin Complex, Lyndonville, Rutland City, Shaftsbury, South Burlington and Winhall Stratton Fire District 1. Since that sampling, the North Bennington municipal water supply has also been sampled. PFOA was not detected.