Skyhawk crash site tested

The site of a 1996 Skyhawk crash is being tested for toxic chemicals as officials try to determine how Bulls drinking water became contaminated.

The Bulls water supply showed traces of a group of chemicals that also contaminated drinking water at properties near O¯ hakea airbase.

Results showed the chemicals were present in four of the five bores at Bulls and in its supply network but not at high levels.

Samples were taken after testing was requested by Rangitı¯kei District Council and results came back in March.

Testing of the Skyhawk site is the latest development in a saga that has had officials struggling to explain in recent months how drinking water in the area was contaminated. The contamination has been linked to toxic foam used by the Defence Force for firefighting training.

A Defence Force spokesman said it was highly unlikely the toxic chemicals detected in Bulls originated from O¯ hakea as it went against the groundwater flow.

‘‘However, to support Rangitı¯kei District Council and Horizons Regional Council to determine possible sources of [the toxic chemical] in the Bulls water supply, the Defence Force undertook to test the site of a 1996 Skyhawk aircraft crash, 9 kilometres north of O¯ hakea airbase.’’

He said they were in the initial stages of the testing to determine if the crash site was a plausible source.

A Horizons Regional Council spokeswoman said this site was one of many possible sources.

Others included landfills, wastewater, industrial activity or soil moved from O¯ hakea.

‘‘It is our intention to investigate all potential sources.’’

In December, the Defence Force revealed chemicals from toxic firefighting foams, which have been linked to a range of illnesses including cancer, had been found at levels higher than current guidelines in water under O¯ hakea and Woodbourne airbases, and testing was taking place at surrounding properties.

Water contamination was found at unsafe levels at 15 properties. People had been drinking the water at seven properties.

A Defence Force spokesman said as well as providing bottled drinking water to residents, they were providing and installing water tanks for households where the toxic chemicals were detected close to or above the interim drinking water guidelines.

So far they had installed three water tanks and two more were to be provided.

Horizons Regional Council recently unanimously voted to put an extra $100,000 towards more testing and technical work relating to the toxic compounds.

‘‘It is our intention to investigate all potential sources.’’ A Horizons Regional Council spokeswoman