Foams used to fight a massive 1986 tire fire at Bergey’s Tires in West Rockhill are being eyed as a potential source of area water contamination.
1/4 Hide caption Angela Goodwin, of West Rockhill, has been using bottled water for over a year because of high numbers of PFAS in her well water that she thinks was contaminated by firefighting foam years ago.
But it is another substance that the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection is now investigating in dozens of nearby private drinking water wells: the unregulated chemicals PFOS and PFOA.
“The chief said the fire was too intense and the foam immediately dissolved.” PFOS and PFOA have been found in dozens of drinking water wells in the area, including in that of the Moyers, who live just 200 yards from where the blaze occurred.
One of the shuttered wells is only 100 feet from their property.
He was diagnosed just months after the wells were closed.
Although Perkasie’s water showed only low levels of PFOS and PFOA when last tested in 2016, which is not uncommon, Jameson spent $1,600 on a whole-house carbon filtration system to give her “peace of mind” that their water is chemical-free.
“It could be (linked) one day,” she said.
State records also show the DEP requested various documents from Bergey’s, including a full accounting of any hazardous substances stored at the site, any information the company has regarding the 1986 fire, and a sheet showing its assets and liabilities.
The company also had “no documentation concerning the use of (firefighting foam) by the U.S. Navy or others to respond to fires on the property.” David Budnick, chief financial officer at Bergey’s, said the same in response to questions from this news organization.

Foams used to fight a massive 1986 tire fire at Bergey’s Tires in West Rockhill are being eyed as a potential source of area water contamination.
1/4 Hide caption Angela Goodwin, of West Rockhill, has been using bottled water for over a year because of high numbers of PFAS in her well water that she thinks was contaminated by firefighting foam years ago.
But it is another substance that the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection is now investigating in dozens of nearby private drinking water wells: the unregulated chemicals PFOS and PFOA.
“The chief said the fire was too intense and the foam immediately dissolved.” PFOS and PFOA have been found in dozens of drinking water wells in the area, including in that of the Moyers, who live just 200 yards from where the blaze occurred.
One of the shuttered wells is only 100 feet from their property.
He was diagnosed just months after the wells were closed.
Although Perkasie’s water showed only low levels of PFOS and PFOA when last tested in 2016, which is not uncommon, Jameson spent $1,600 on a whole-house carbon filtration system to give her “peace of mind” that their water is chemical-free.
“It could be (linked) one day,” she said.
State records also show the DEP requested various documents from Bergey’s, including a full accounting of any hazardous substances stored at the site, any information the company has regarding the 1986 fire, and a sheet showing its assets and liabilities.
The company also had “no documentation concerning the use of (firefighting foam) by the U.S. Navy or others to respond to fires on the property.” David Budnick, chief financial officer at Bergey’s, said the same in response to questions from this news organization.

When Thorah Central Public School students need water they just turn on a tap.
Maxine Scott’s Grade 7/8 class now has a greater appreciation for being able to access clean water after a recent visit by Water First educator Carol Lynn Wallace.
Water First is a non-profit organization that works with Ontario indigenous people providing training to help them manager their own water systems.
The students took part in a GUSH workshop that is designed to introduce youth to the challenges many Ontario First Nations face in accessing safe water.
One in five First Nations communities in Canada – and two in five in Ontario – are under a boil water advisory.
Wallace added there can be a disconnect between students living in central and southern Ontario and what is happening in the north, specifically relating to the Ring of Fire chromite mining and smelting development project.
The massive project will impact nine First Nations communities – including Neshkantaga which hasn’t had clean water for more than 20 years – as well as the James Bay Lowlands, the third largest wetland in the world.
During the workshop, students explored the extent of the mine’s environmental impact by building and testing a hands-on watershed model.
“It helps mimic what could potentially happen,” said Wallace.
“Most kids don’t want to be on the mine side,” quipped Wallace, noting that, while there are benefits such as the installation of water treatment plants, jobs, access to hydro – many residents use diesel generators – and roads to the current fly-in-only communities, the mine has a finite lifespan.

The Warminster Municipal Authority board voted Friday to hire law firm Anapol Weiss to consider suing firefighting foam manufacturers.
Board members of the Warminster Municipal Authority voted unanimously Friday afternoon to pay a legal firm to assess whether the authority could file a lawsuit to recoup its expenses over recent water contamination.
Anapol Weiss represents clients in those suits.
The Warminster Municipal Authority, which serves about 40,000 people, has been severely impacted by water contamination.
In all, six of the authority’s 18 wells were found to contain the chemicals above the EPA safety limit.
The military originally agreed to pay for the two others as well, but reneged after retesting about two years later found chemical levels had fallen back below the EPA recommended safety limit, Nemeroff said.
The well closures forced Warminster to purchase vast quantities of water from the North Wales Water Authority, which it currently uses for about 95 percent of its supply.
The military is not paying for those expenditures, as it abides by the EPA’s 70 ppt standard.
“The Navy and the Air Force have decided they are not going to cover the costs of treatment systems for other-contaminant related expenses for those wells that do not exceed the health advisory limits,” Nemeroff said.
At the meeting, the four-member board voted first to authorize Nemeroff to engage with Anapol Weiss and receive a fee structure for the firm’s work.

“Places there picked up about 25mm.” He said the people of Cairns should expect about the same conditions as yesterday, with 10mm expected to fall during the day’s showers.
EARLIER: FIFTY-SIX people who evacuated their homes at Mount Garnet overnight have safely returned home.
— Jubilee Rd, Innisfail has water over the road.
— Gillies Range closed due to Flooding and major debris.
Water over the road on all lanes, delays expected.
Bureau of Meteorology duty forecaster Jim Richardson said showers would continue in the region, but they would be far less intense than this week’s downpours.
“At the moment it looks like the heavier rain has gone north and moved away from the floods.” Signs of the rain around #Cairns beginning to ease as the focus of rainfall shifts to the north and west.
“Cairns had about 159mm overnight, and the majority of the rain was along the ranges from Innisfail right up to Cairns,” he said.
“Since March 7, when the weather really kicked off, we’ve had 128 completed activations, and nine activations where we assisted other agencies like the police.” EARLIER: WIDESPREAD heavy rainfall is expected to move further north towards Cooktown, Lockhart River and the East Cape York area over the weekend, offering some relief to the Cairns region.
BOM Queensland State Manager Bruce Gunn said while the heavy rainfall around Ingham, Tully, Innisfail and Cairns was easing, the main focus remained on the Herbert River where the flood peak at Ingham was expected to reach around 2009 levels yesterday afternoon.

Cape Town — a city once at the forefront of Africa’s green movement — implemented new emergency water restrictions Thursday as the sprawling metropolis prepares for the day their taps run dry. Residents are now being asked to curb the amount of municipal water they use each day to just 50 liters (a little over 13 gallons). Only a month ago, level 6 restrictions had placed residents on a daily allowance of 87 liters (about 23 gallons), illustrating the severity of looming crisis. Dubbed Zero Day, officials estimate that if water levels continue to fall as anticipated, South Africa’s second most populous city will run out of water by April 16. Experts are keeping a close eye on daily consumption in a desperate bid to avoid the disaster, warning residents tempted to ignore measures that they face fines and installation of water management meters if they do not comply. It may seem unthinkable that a developed city of four million could run out of water but it’s been a slow-burning catastrophe exacerbated by some uncontrollable factors. Not only has Cape Town been engaged in the worst drought in a century for the last three…