New Jersey Coalition Calls for Investigation of Private Wells to Protect Families from PFOA in Drin...(byresidents of Pennsville Penns Grove Ca...),Health

DuPont's testing of nine on-site and off-site monitoring wells surrounding its Chambers Works plant showed PFOA results ranging from .012 parts per billion to 2.2 parts per billion. The nine monitoring wells were required by the NJDEP and were located at the plant's boundaries.

A year ago February, the NJDEP set the nation's safest drinking water guidance level for PFOA. New Jersey identified the safe "alert level" of only .04 parts per billion after finding PFOA contamination in drinking water supplies across the state. While all wells showed some PFOA content, eight of the nine monitoring wells exceeded New Jersey's "alert level."

The sampling results also suggest that DuPont's "interceptor wells," which are supposed to have contained the company's pollution, may not stop the spread of these contaminants into the surrounding communities.

At the present time, there are nearly two thousand Salem County residents who depend on private wells for their drinking water. Without further testing, we fear that many of these wells may draw water from a now contaminated aquifer.

"Clearly now that DuPont and the state know about the contamination, quick action to gather the private well data and address the danger is in everyone's interest," said Tracy Carluccio, Deputy Director of Delaware Riverkeeper Network.

"We demand these wells should be investigated for contamination with state oversight. To do less would be unconscionable," added Carluccio.

For more information:

Tracy Carluccio: 215-369-1188 or 215-692-2329 (cell)

Deputy Director, Delaware Riverkeeper Network

Jane Nogaki: 856-912-6790 (cell)

Vice Chair, NJ Environmental Federation

Shawn Gilchrist: 412-562-6968

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