It has been about 2 and a half years since PFOA was first detected in drinking water in Bennington.
One of those schools is Grafton Elementary School.
More from VPR — 2 Vermont Schools Show Levels Of PFAS Above State Safety Standard [July 30] Vermont environmental officials have been widening the scope of their investigation ever since the chemical PFOA was discovered in about 300 wells in Bennington in early 2016.
Using geological maps that show underground aquifers, state officials tried to guess where the water might flow down from the airport.
Krista Reed was holding her two-month-old baby when DEC site manager Michael Nahmias knocked on her door to test the water.
There are still other industries and facilities that we will likely be looking at in the future as we learn more.” The national concern about the dangers of perfluorinated chemicals started near the factories where they were made.
But then as states like Vermont began testing smaller facilities that used products that contain the PFAS, it was showing up in water test after water test.
It’s a national problem.” The Environmental Working Group is national advocacy organization that’s been tracking the spread of known PFAS contamination across the country.
About a year ago, the group said there were 52 known sites in 19 states; Their latest interactive map shows that there are now 172 sites spread out across 40 states.
“So I think a lot of the interest in contamination came from residents, who were concerned, and often either residents or state officials had water samples detected, and once they realized they found some of this contamination, it became a bigger problem and more and more people started looking.” A recently issued Vermont report said there are still a number of businesses that might have used PFAS compounds including coated paper products, car washes, paint manufacturers and plastic industries.