The Delaware Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Control (DNREC) and the Delaware Division of Public Health (DPH) are now providing bottled water for residents in Blades as the town’s well water system has been contaminated by "perfluorinated compounds" or (PFCs).
DNREC’s announcement comes after all three of the town’s wells returned concentrations of PFCs that are above the human health advisory level (70 parts per trillion) following recent sampling at the request of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).
DNREC says the water from the sampled wells are safe to use for bathing and laundry, but cannot be used for cooking or drinking.
Bottled water will be delivered Friday morning to Blades Elementary, which announced school would be closed to students due to the problem.
Bottled water will be provided Friday at noon to residents at the Blades Fire Hall.
Alternative sources of drinking and cooking water will be provided until a permanent solution is in place, according to DNREC.
Water will be supplied to the entire town until additional work can determine the extent of PFC contamination in the municipal wells.
Though PFCs are not regulated by the Safe Drinking Water Act, DPH is working with DNREC to minimize any potential health impacts to the community.
Long-term exposure to perfluorooctanoicacid (PFOA) and perfluorooctane sulfonate (PFOS) can affect pregnant women and infants and cause cancer and liver and immune system impacts.
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