Drinking water in Security, Fountain and Widefield areas contaminated with toxic chemicals above EPA limits
by Bruce Finley, originally posted on June 16, 2016
SECURITY – Invisible toxic chemicals are contaminating drinking water for 80,000 people south of Colorado Springs, one of 63 areas nationwide where the chemicals, widely used to fight petroleum fires, have been measured at levels the EPA deems dangerous.
These perfluorinated chemicals rank among the worst in an expanding multitude of unregulated contaminants that federal scientists are detecting in city water supplies, including hormones, pesticides, antibiotics and anti-depressants. Perfluorinated chemicals (PFCs) don’t break down. Boiling water won’t get rid of them.
Military airfields are suspected by Colorado health investigators as a point where the chemicals seeped into the Fountain Creek watershed north of Widefield, Fountain and Security. Air Force officials told The Denver Post it’s too early to tell.
It has reached the point where the water in all 32 of the Security Water and Sanitation District’s municipal wells is contaminated with PFCs at levels exceeding an EPA health advisory limit of 70 parts per trillion. EPA officials recommended that pregnant women and small children should not drink local water.
Security Water and Sanitation District manager Roy Heald has shut off seven wells. Fountain officials also shut wells. Widefield School District 3 officials are installing water dispensers.
At a meeting Wednesday, Heald pleaded with CDPHE and EPA officials for help.