American Military News by Dale Kasler 2/2/2020
A Sacramento-area water utility sued the federal government this week over groundwater contaminated by toxic pollutants used for years at the former Mather Air Force Base.
California-American Water Co. sued the U.S. government for the costs of cleaning up one of its tainted wells in Rancho Cordova. The company serves about 16,000 households and businesses in its Suburban Rosemont system. The tainted well — called the Nut Plains Well — is one of 29 wells in the Rosemont system.
The well had to be shut down for more than a year after tests showed it was contaminated with PFAS, a family of chemicals linked to cancer, thyroid problems, low infant birth weights and immune system problems.
Environmentalists say PFAS chemicals have become an increasingly dangerous pollution source in the nation’s water supply. Last fall the Environmental Working Group, based in Washington, D.C., released a study saying PFAS was
detected in 74 wells operated by community water districts across the state, including five in greater Sacramento.
More:
https://americanmilitarynews.com/2020/02/sacramento-water-company-sues-u-s-over-toxic-cold-war-chemicals-left-by-air-force/I wonder if there were more suits for the 73 other wells that also showed PFAS contaminationBasic Information on PFAShttps://www.epa.gov/pfas/basic-information-pfasWhat are PFAS?
Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) are a group of man-made chemicals that includes PFOA, PFOS, GenX, and many other chemicals. PFAS have been manufactured and used in a variety of industries around the globe, including in the United States since the 1940s. PFOA and PFOS have been the most extensively produced and studied of these chemicals. Both chemicals are very persistent in the environment and in the human body – meaning they don’t break down and they can accumulate over time. There is evidence that exposure to PFAS can lead to adverse human health effects.
PFAS can be found in:
Food packaged in PFAS-containing materials, processed with equipment that used PFAS, or grown in PFAS-contaminated soil or water.
Commercial household products, including stain- and water-repellent fabrics, nonstick products (e.g., Teflon), polishes, waxes, paints, cleaning products, and fire-fighting foams (a major source of groundwater contamination at airports and military bases where firefighting training occurs).
Workplace, including production facilities or industries (e.g., chrome plating, electronics manufacturing or oil recovery) that use PFAS.
Drinking water, typically localized and associated with a specific facility (e.g., manufacturer, landfill, wastewater treatment plant, firefighter training facility).
Living organisms, including fish, animals and humans, where PFAS have the ability to build up and persist over time.
Certain PFAS chemicals are no longer manufactured in the United States as a result of phase outs including the PFOA Stewardship Program in which eight major chemical manufacturers agreed to eliminate the use of PFOA and PFOA-related chemicals in their products and as emissions from their facilities. Although PFOA and PFOS are no longer manufactured in the United States, they are still produced internationally and can be imported into the United States in consumer goods such as carpet, leather and apparel, textiles, paper and packaging, coatings, rubber and plastics.
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