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How has Connecticut mitigated against PFAS? State task force reviews its progress

A glass pouring out drinking water.
ANNE-CHRISTINE POUJOULAT
/
AFP via Getty Images
According to the state Department of Public Health, about one in four Connecticut residents rely on private wells. Currently, the EPA does not regulate private wells or provide recommended standards – and the state doesn’t require Connecticut homeowners to test their wells annually.

A state task force met in-person Thursday for the first time in three years to examine how Connecticut has mitigated against the pollution of PFAS chemicals from its land and waters.

“We are sharing information between states, our federal partners, academia, and the regulated community,” said Katie Dykes, commissioner for the state Department of Energy and Environmental Protection. “We’re studying surface water quality and fish tissue at and around our wastewater treatment plants and we’re addressing polluted private drinking water wells, these are some of the key areas of focus.”

The task force was set up after a major spill of PFAS chemicals at Bradley International Airport in June 2019 from a private hangar that polluted the Farmington River.

Robert Bruno, the director of planning, engineering and environmental services at the Connecticut Airport Authority, said a major contributor to pollution has been firefighting foam.

“Bradley has 13 hangers with PFAS foam. Seven of them have been removed and are now utilizing a water-based system. Two hangars we are working with now to replace with a PFAS-free foam and that will be completed by the legislative mandate of October 2023,” Bruno said. “As far as general aviation airports, we had a total of six hangers with PFAS foam systems, four of those hangars systems have been removed.”

An investigation is also underway into the source of PFAS pollution in drinking water wells in the state, especially in Killingworth.

State health officials have supplied around 30 homes with filter systems to help remove the contamination while they continue to investigate other sources of PFAS.

PFAS are a set of thousands of different chemicals used in everyday items like waterproofing spray, non-stick pots, and food containers like pizza boxes that have been found to have long-term health effects.

Copyright 2022 WSHU. To see more, visit WSHU.

Brian Scott-Smith

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SOMOS CONNECTICUT es una iniciativa de Connecticut Public, la emisora local de NPR y PBS del estado, que busca elevar nuestras historias latinas y expandir programación que alza y informa nuestras comunidades latinas locales. Visita CTPublic.org/latino para más reportajes y recursos. Para noticias, suscríbase a nuestro boletín informativo en ctpublic.org/newsletters.

The independent journalism and non-commercial programming you rely on every day is in danger.

If you’re reading this, you believe in trusted journalism and in learning without paywalls. You value access to educational content kids love and enriching cultural programming.

Now all of that is at risk.

Federal funding for public media is under threat and if it goes, the impact to our communities will be devastating.

Together, we can defend it. It’s time to protect what matters.

Your voice has protected public media before. Now, it’s needed again. Learn how you can protect the news and programming you depend on.

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