Fairhope, Alabama
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| Well 4. |
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| Well 5. |
CALLED PFAS
Mayor Sullivan says drilling a new well and carbon filtration are possible ways the city could comply with new EPA regulations announced last week for per and poly-fluoroalkyl chemicals detected in the city's water supply. (Also detected in Daphne's, Foley's, and numerous other water systems in the county.)
According to online sources: "Perfluoroalkyl and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) are a class of
man-made chemicals suspected to cause adverse human and ecological
health effects. The acronym “PFAS” encompasses thousands of individual
compounds. The two most studied and regulated are perfluorooctanoic acid
(PFOA) and perfluorooctane sulfonate (PFOS). PFAS, including PFOA and
PFOS, have entered the environment from a variety of sources and release
scenarios, including releases from manufacturing facilities and areas
where aqueous film-forming foam (AFFF), a type of fire-fighting foam,
was applied. Many PFAS have unique physical and chemical properties that
render them highly stable and resistant to degradation in the
environment. They are typically removed from water supplies using
granular activated carbon or ion exchange resins, although research is
ongoing to develop in situ treatment technologies as well as more cost-effective ex situ treatment methods."
The new limits for the chemicals are 4 for some types -- and 10 ppt for others.
Levels in excess of that were detected at wells 4 (CR 3 near Dairy Road) and 5 (CR 32 north of airport) in tests last year.
Sullivan said a new well (deeper) was probable for CR 32 at least -- but fluoride routinely added to the city's water (dental reasons) may complicate the filtration alternative elsewhere.
Cities have until 2029 to comply according to the new federal regulation but regular testing must begin in 2025; federal funding help may be available too.
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| Fairhope pfas testing result. |
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| New EPA limits |
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