On March 26, Tom Wolf announced the approval of funding from the H20 PA Program by the Commonwealth Financing Authority for projects that will remove contamination of harmful perfluoroalkyl and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) from 17 wells in the Warminster/Horsham and Warrington areas of Bucks County.

“Access to safe drinking water is one of the fundamental rights of every Pennsylvanian,” Gov. Wolf said. “This funding will provide clean and safe water for residents, and will help ensure the public health of these communities in Bucks County in the years ahead. Through the PFAS Action Team, we will continue addressing this serious issue across Pennsylvania.”

PFAS are man-made chemicals, are resistant to heat, water and oil, and persist in the environment and the human body. PFAS are not found naturally in the environment.

They have been used to make cookware, carpets, clothing, fabrics for furniture, paper packaging for food, and other materials that are resistant to water, grease, or stains. They are also used in firefighting foams and in a number of industrial processes.

The CFA board approved a $5 million grant for the Warminster Municipal Authority through the H20 PA program.

WMA owns and operates the water supply and distribution system that serves Warminster Township, Ivyland Borough, and Warwick Township. Thirteen WMA wells have been contaminated by PFAS as a result of the use of firefighting foam at military bases in the area.

The contamination caused the shutdown of the wells and required WMA to purchase water from another source at a much higher cost. This project will install treatment systems that will allow the wells to be placed back in service as a water supply source.

The board also approved a $3 million grant through the H20 PA program for Warrington Township, Bucks County, to renovate four groundwater wells in the township contaminated by PFAS as a result of the use of firefighting foam.

The township will equip the wells with ion exchange and granular activated carbon treatment systems to reduce contaminants to a “non-detect” level.

In September 2018, Gov. Wolf announced the establishment of a multi-agency PFAS Action Team and other executive actions to address growing national concerns surrounding PFAS.

“Sites in southeast Pennsylvania, and Bucks County, in particular, have been affected by PFAS contamination in Pennsylvania,” said Department of Environmental Protection Secretary Patrick McDonnell, who chairs the PFAS Action Team. “The Action Team will be continuing to pursue solutions to addressing existing contamination and preventing new contamination.”

Click Here for a list of projects funded under this program.

For more information on funding opportunities, visit the H20 PA Program or the Commonwealth Financing Authority webpage.

For more information on these contaminants, visit DEP’s PFAS webpage.

NewsClips:

Bagenstose: State Gives Warminster, Warrington $8M To Tackle PFAS Contamination Costs

Wolf’s $8M To Remove PFAS From Bucks Water Won’t Solve The Problem Activists Say

Bagenstose, et al: Military Challenging States On $2 Billion PFAS Chemical Cleanup Liability

Unwell Water: New Bucks Courier Times Webpage On PFAS Contamination

PaEN: Berks County Source Water Protection Program Accepting Entries In Logo Contest From Higher Ed Students With $1,500 In Scholarships As Prizes

Hurdle: New Jersey DEP: 5 Companies Must Pay For PFAS Contamination Cleanup

NJ Orders 5 Companies To Pay Millions To Fund PFAS Cleanup

Murphy: Lawmakers Call For Mandatory Lead Testing Of School Drinking Water

Advocates Call For Passage Of Law Requiring Water Testing For Lead In Schools

PA Gets ‘F’ For Not Addressing Lead In School Drinking Water

AP: Pennsylvania Fest ‘F’ For Removing Lead Plumbing In Schools

Bipartisan Bill Would Require Schools To Test Water Sources For Lead

Pittsburgh Water Authority Flushing Hydrants Before New Lead Treatment

Lead Levels Still Elevated In Water At Erie School

DEP Visits Lancaster To Highlight How Restore PA Could Address Drinking Water System Needs

End In Sight For Public Water Project In Intercourse Years After Water Contamination Discovery

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[Posted: March 26, 2019]

4/1/2019