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It has recently been reported that manmade chemicals used in industrial manufacturing have continued to contaminate public drinking water wells in Delaware. First discovered in several wells in 2014, new testing conducted in 2019 demonstrated that the problem is more widespread than originally reported.
The chemicals are linked to cancer and other health issues. The new testing data was not reported to the public at the time of the tests, nor were the specific wells identified.
The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has confirmed that testing was performed on 14 wells in and around the New Castle County Airport. All of the wells were within a seven square mile grid surrounding the airport. Out of the 14 wells, 10 were discovered to have been contaminated with chemical compounds called per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) to such a level that exceeded the EPA’s lifetime health advisory levels.
All of the New Castle city wells were contaminated, as well as six wells owned and operated by a local water utility company. However, the EPA and drinking water officials have confirmed that before the water from the wells reaches homes and businesses, it goes through a filtering process. The filtering process removes enough of the PFAS chemicals to reduce or eliminate water contamination.
PFAS are made up of perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA) and perfluorobutane sulfonate (PFOS) chemicals. PFOS and PFOA compounds are used in a variety of industrial manufacturing products and processes. Here are just a sampling of some of the products that use these manmade chemical compounds:
The PFOS and PFOA chemical compounds can be found almost everywhere. These chemicals are often referred to as “forever chemicals” because they do not naturally break down in the environment and remain intact. Due to their persistence and inability to naturally break down, the chemicals can be found in drinking water, most foods, including fish, meat, and anything grown in PFAS contaminated soil.
These chemical compounds are also often found in the blood of people and certain organs, such as the liver and kidneys. Here are some of the health problems people can have when exposed to these chemical compounds:
If you believe you have suffered health effects due to drinking contaminated water, let the Delaware water contamination lawyers at Jacobs & Crumplar, P.A. help. Exposure to toxic PFAS chemicals can cause an array of health problems, and we are here to hold the responsible parties accountable for their negligence. Call us at 302-656-5445 or contact us online to schedule a free consultation. Located in Wilmington and Millsboro, Delaware, we serve clients throughout Dover, New Castle County, and Sussex County.