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Borough of Emmaus suing multiple companies for possible water contamination
FOX 29's Monica Evans is in Emmaus discussing the borough's plans to sue multiple companies for an alleged water contamination from a nearby fire facility.
EMMAUS, Pa. - A Lehigh Valley Borough is suing nearly 2 dozen companies that make foam used to put out fires because officials in the borough say that the toxic chemicals found in the foam were also found in its water supply.
The Borough of Emmaus is alleging that two of the borough's wells became contaminated from a nearby fire-fighting facility. They're saying that the foam, which was used at the facility for more than 50 years, seeped into the ground and contaminated the water wells.
Officials from the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) say that when they tested the water wells of Emmaus last year, they found well over the 70 parts per trillion of cancer-causing chemicals that the EPA deems safe.
In one of the wells, which is 150 feet away from the fire facility, the EPA say they found 456 parts per trillion of the chemicals. When they tested another nearby well, they found 111 parts per trillion of the chemicals.
The chemicals are referred to as PFAS, and they are a combination of 40 to 80 different chemicals, which are basically different types of acids in the water, according to Manager of Emmaus, Shane Pepe. PFAS are often called "forever chemicals" because they do not dissolve overtime and a common water filter will not get rid of them.
"It’s concerning because research has shown that PFAS long-term exposure can be cancer causing, and it can also result in birth defects and other long-term health issues for individuals that consume it for a long period of time," said Pepe.
The contamination is also concerning because Pepe says there is a lack of scientific research that spells out exactly what a safe level of PFAS in water are.
"They have not come out and said that a maximum level of PFAS is 400 or 4000," he said. "They’re essentially saying that 70 is the advisory level, but there is very little scientific research that they’ve conducted, so it’s our position that we need to get the level down to zero."
Residents of Emmaus have mixed feelings about the possible contamination. Some are taking precautions, while others are not concerned.
Jay Snyder, a resident of Emmaus, said, "I lived here all my life and I drank it all my life, so it is what it is."
Another resident, Duke Godshall, says that he drinks bottles water instead of drinking water from the tap.
"Who the heck wants to drink chemicals that cause cancer in your system?" said Godshall. "I know I sure don’t."
The Borough of Emmaus hopes the lawsuit will cover the $2.4 million needed to add a filtration system to clean up the contaminated wells.