PFOA Contamination Response: Community Updates
Week of 07/04/2016
You are receiving this e-mail because you have requested to be updated on Vermont's PFOA response efforts, or because your well was recently sampled. Weekly updates are sent out by Friday each week. If you wish to stop receiving these updates, you may unsubscribe at any time using the link at the bottom of this e-mail. Thank you.
BenningtonNorth Bennington & Bennington Update
Community outreach -- On Wednesday June 29, state and local officials hosted a public meeting for the community to provide updates on the PFOA response in Bennington and North Bennington. Approximately 130 people attended. Topics discussed included water sampling, water filtration systems, the blood clinic, and the potential municipal line extensions. More details on these topics can be found below.

Next public input steps related to the proposed water line expansion -- The Town of Bennington plans to mail a letter to all affected property owners asking if they would be interested in connecting to the municipal system. The Village of North Bennington plans to have the Water Superintendent personally meet with all affected property owners to discuss connecting to the system. The Village of North Bennington has also scheduled a community meeting for July 27, at 7 PM in North Bennington (location to be determined) to discuss this topic with residents within the proposed expansion area of the North Bennington municipal system.

Revised preliminary engineering study for North Bennington -- Both the Town of Bennington and the Village of North Bennington presented an overview of their respective preliminary engineering reports for waterline extensions. The revised preliminary engineering study for North Bennington was received on Friday, June 24, and is available here. The revised preliminary engineering study for extending the Bennington drinking water distribution lines was received on July 5, 2016 and is available here .   

PFOA Sampling results --  DEC has received sampling results from 462 private wells in Bennington and North Bennington, of which 244 had PFOA concentrations greater than 20 parts per trillion (ppt), 54 wells had PFOA less than 20 ppt, and 164 were "no detect." A list of the results is available  hereas well as an updated map  here.  
 
Point-of-entry treatment (POET) systems sampling results -- C.T. Male Associates will be conducting a minimum of three rounds of PFOA testing on residential point-of-entry-treatment (POET) systems. The POET systems use granulated activated carbon filters to remove the PFOA. So far all tested POETs have shown effluent PFOA to be below the Vermont Health Advisory Standard. As of June 24, 2016 sampling results for the 201 installed POETs included: 168 first round samples taken, with all 168 as "non-detect" for PFOA; 111 second round samples taken, with all 111 as "non-detect" for PFOA; and 18 third round samples taken, with all 18 as "non-detect" for PFOA.   
  
C.T. Male Associates will also test POET systems for arsenic, which can be present in the raw materials used to make the granulated activated carbon. Arsenic will be tested in all newly installed POETs until contaminant concentrations are shown to be below Vermont Drinking Water Standards (currently 10 ug/l). Arsenic was detected above 10 ug/l in 30 locations after the first round of sampling and above 10 ug/l in one location after the second round of sampling (this water system did not use very much water between each of the sampling events). Arsenic is removed from the carbon in the POETs by flushing several hundred gallons of fresh water through the POETs.  

Water is suitable to drink with regard to PFOA and arsenic if the results from any round of sampling are non-detect or below the applicable health advisory levels.  The Vermont Health Department recommends that all private well owners test their drinking water source yearly for bacteria contamination, and every five years for inorganic chemicals and gross alpha radiation.

Blood testing -- The Vermont Department of Health shared information about the blood testing and what people who have been tested should expect when results arrive. Blood test results are anticipated in the next few months. Health Department also shared the current Vermont Health Advisory Levels, which were updated as a result of EPA's revised values. 
  
Vermont Geologic Survey -- The Vermont Geological Survey is collaborating with other divisions in DEC, universities and organizations to provide comprehensive groundwater analyses and aquifer characterization for the North Bennington area. The studies include mapping of bedrock and structures in the rock, groundwater sampling, and geophysical well logging. The data collected will provide a foundation for groundwater flow and directional analyses. For a brief summary of these activities, see this aquifer characterization components handout from the Vermont Geological Survey.
 
Reminder! Sign-up for well testing online -- Residences with private wells within the expanded area of interest east and southeast of the landfill, including those on Chapel Road, Furnace Brook Road, Reed Drive and Bradley Drive are encouraged to sign-up online to schedule drinking water sampling. Also, any residence located within the area of interest  in Bennington or North Bennington that has not yet had a private well sample collected should also sign-up.  This includes those residences on Harwood Hill Road south of the Shaftsbury Town Line Road, Settlers Road, Spring Hill Road, Town Line Road, Rocky Lane, and East Road.
Residential well sample results --  DEC collected an additional 15 residential water supply samples from Pownal and North Pownal during the last two week period. Project totals to date for PFOA results include: 92 wells sampled in total, 73 were "non-detect," 7 with detections greater than 20 parts per trillion (ppt) and 12 with detections less than 20 ppt.
A list of updated sampling results for residential wells is available here.
 
Treatment system update -- Pownal Fire District #2 and Unicorn Management Consultants are currently installing treatment system components for the granular activated carbon (GAC) treatment systems. Otter Creek Engineering conducted a preliminary inspection of the GAC units on June 29, 2016.

On Thursday, June 30th, Unicorn Management Consultants conducted water quality testing for Perfluorinated alkyl acids and for total Arsenic on the finished water samples following the installation of GAC systems. We will communicate the results once they are received.

Reminder! Well sampling in North Pownal to continue --  DEC would like to sample private drinking water wells located north of Cedar Hill Road, and south of North Pownal Road, Deer Hill Road, and Murphy Lane.  DEC is sending letters to property owners in these areas to let them know they are eligible to have their drinking water tested at no cost. If you live in this area and have not had your well sampled,  please sign-up online to arrange a sample date or call Trish Coppolino at (802) 249-5822.
statewideStatewide Testing
Pittsford Fire Academy -- This week Stone Environmental will perform a pilot of the treatment system for draining the underground storage tank that contains PFOS contaminated firefighting water.  Treated effluent will be stored in a 250-gallon tote until they received the laboratory results.  If the results are favorable, then the system will be reactivated and run until the tank is drained sufficiently to allow sludge removal and tank cleaning. This is expected to take approximately one week. No drinking water supplies have been found impacted in the Pittsford area.
infoInformation Resources Available
For general PFOA questions and concerns:
Call 2-1-1.
Visit: Vermont DEC PFOA Response Page

For questions about potential health effects of PFOA:
Call the Vermont Department of Health toll-free at 800-439-8550.
Visit: Vermont Department Health PFOA Page

To view previous PFOA community update e-mails:
Visit: Vermont DEC PFOA Response Page

You may also reply to this e-mail with general questions.