Vermont Business Magazine Governor Peter Shumlin today provided an update on the situation in North Bennington. Test results received last Thursday indicated that while there is no contamination of the public water source, five private wells in North Bennington showed varying levels of a potentially harmful chemical called PFOA. The Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) plans to test an additional 80 to 100 private wells located in a 1.5 mile radius surrounding the former Chem Fab plant in North Bennington. Officials are still working to determine the exact cause of the contamination, but concerns in North Bennington were sparked by reports of contamination caused by a similar plant in Hoosick Falls N.Y. The issue will be discussed at Town Meeting tonight (February 29).
Vermont DEC officials will travel door to door to collect testing samples in the coming days. The test to determine PFOA levels takes approximately two weeks.
Residents with wells being tested should not drink the water while results are pending. Bottled water will be provided and a delivery schedule will be worked out in the coming days. In the meantime, residents can pick up bottled water at the Village Variety Store located at 9 Route 67 West in North Bennington. In addition, starting this afternoon there will be two water tanks from which residents can draw water on the corner of Scary Lane and Rt 67 and McCaters Park at the Henry Bridge.
The Health Department is committed to arranging blood tests for PFOA for people who have contaminated wells, but stresses that the number one priority is to stop the exposure and consult with your health care provider.
“If your well is contaminated, do not use the water for drinking, preparing food, cooking, or brushing teeth,” said Health Commissioner Harry Chen, MD. "We recommend that you talk with your health care provider to consider having the routine blood tests for health conditions that may be treatable now.”
The Health Department has alerted and provided guidance to health care providers in the Bennington and Rutland area. The Health Department has produced a fact sheet about PFOA and potential health impacts, which is attached to this release.
Vermont officials held a public meeting Friday in North Bennington. Officials will also be on hand this evening at 6 p.m. during Bennington’s Town Meeting. DEC officials and others will be on hand to answer questions.
The chemical, Perfluorooctanoic (PFOA), is a possible carcinogen. Following news reports of potential PFOA contamination in Hoosik Falls, N.Y., DEC took the proactive step of testing water supplies in North Bennington. Samples from the immediate are of concern were tested, along with the public drinking supply. Results were received this morning that showed the public water supply has not been affected but some residential and commercial wells are.
In Vermont, the standard level of PFOA is 20 parts per trillion. Results from a wastewater treatment plant well – water that is not used for drinking – showed PFOA levels of 618 parts per trillion. A business in the area showed levels of 168 parts per trillion. Results from three residential wells showed a range of 40 parts per trillion to 2,880 parts per trillion.
PFOA is what is known as an emerging containment. It is not a chemical that is tested for in standard water tests or listed on a list of hazardous chemicals under federal law that require management. There is no at-home test that detects PFOA. The test for PFOA require samples be sent out-of-state. DEC has identified potentially four more residential wells that may be affected. Testing is being conducted on those wells and residents are being provided drinking water.
PFOA can be harmful when ingested. It is not absorbed through the skin if present in water used for washing.