Vermont Business Magazine Governor Peter Shumlin today shared the last set of results from a statewide plan to test for perfluorinated compounds (PFCs) at sites where the harmful chemicals may have been used. The former location of Harbour Industries in Shelburne was the final site tested for PFCs. Three out of four groundwater monitoring wells showed the presence of the chemicals PFOA (perfluorooctanoic acid) and PFOS (perfluorooctanesulfonic acid), which are types of PFCs. PFOA levels ranged from 8 to 430 parts per trillion, and PFOS levels ranged from 9 to 300 parts per trillion. The Vermont health advisory limit is 20 parts per trillion. PFOA and PFOS are suspected carcinogens that were used widely in the US in a number of industrial processes.
“The investigation has confirmed that any contamination is contained to very specific sites in the State,” the governor said. “Vermont is known for some of the cleanest drinking water in the country. Vermonters should continue to have confidence when they turn on the tap that their water is clean.”
The vast majority of area residents and businesses are served by clean municipal sources of drinking water and are not impacted by the contamination. Three drinking water wells located within one mile of the site all tested clean for PFCs. Anyone who has a private drinking water well within a one-mile radius of the site at 4740 Shelburne Road that has not been tested should contact the Department of Environmental Conservation at (802) 828-1138.
As with other sites where PFCs have been detected in groundwater supplies, the former Harbour Industries property will undergo a site investigation to determine the extent and degree of contamination in the area.
"We remain committed to addressing any contamination that was discovered throughout this process,” said Department of Environmental Conservation Commissioner Alyssa Schuren.
Statewide testing was launched after PFCs were found in Bennington, North Bennington and Pownal earlier this year. To date, 524 wells have been sampled in Bennington and North Bennington, and 259 have PFOA above the health advisory level of 20 parts per trillion. A municipal system serving Pownal, Fire District #2, was found to have PFOA at 27 parts per trillion. A filtration system has been placed on that municipal system, and area residents and businesses now have access to clean drinking water.
Of the original plan to test eleven sites statewide, PFCs were found at five: the Vermont Army National Guard base (South Burlington); former Hercules Incorporated site (Colchester); IBM (Essex Junction); and Pittsford Fire Academy (Pittsford); and the former Harbour Industries site (Shelburne). In all cases, area private drinking water wells tested clean and/or clean municipal drinking water sources are available.
The State has no plan to expand the testing of PFCs at this time. Precautionary testing will be required if information surfaces that indicates potential historic use of PFCs at any property.