More water supply research is urged
Sen. Brown concerned about dangerous chemical in area water.
DAYTON — Ohio Sen. Sherrod Brown wants government agencies to study the effects of a dangerous chemical found in parts of the water supplies of Wright-Patterson Air Force Base and the city of Dayton.
Brown joined a group of bipartisan colleagues in a letter to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry, requesting that the agencies ensure that the health effects of occupational exposure to per-and polyfluoralkyl substances (PFAS) — particularly in firefighters— are sufficiently studied.
“Firefighters are a vital component of our nation’s emergency response system and risk their lives to protect the communities they serve. There is a critical need to better understand how PFAS workplace exposure among firefighters may affect the health of these heroes and their families,” the senators said in the letter.
Patrick Breysse, director of the Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry, announced firefighters will not be included in an ATSDR study on the health impacts of PFAS. Brown said firefighters, both military and civilian, work in environments that have higher exposure to PFAS, which are found in firefighting foam.
The Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry operates under the CDC. About 1,500 drinking water systems across the country serving roughly 110 million Americans may be contaminated by PFAS, according to a recent analysis by the Environmental Working Group.
In October, Dayton officials announced the city would sue the makers of firefighting foam in the wake of chemicals found in the water systems here and in other cities around the country. The defendants named in the suit are 3M Company, Minnesota Mining and Manufacturing Co., Buckeye Fire Equipment Company, Chemguard Inc., Tyco Fire Products L.P., and National Foam Inc.
“It is our duty to protect the public health, safety and welfare and environment of our residents and the surrounding region,” said Dayton Mayor Nan Whaley. The city did not respond to request for comment on Monday.
PFAS showed up in March at Dayton’s Ottawa Water Treatment Plant, the first time the compounds were detected in water after the treatment process. The chemicals had been
detected before in monitoring wells, prompting the shutdown of some production wells.
Studies indicate that PFOA and PFOS can cause reproductive and developmental, liver and kidney, and immunological effects in laboratory animals. Both chemicals have caused tumors in animals, according to the Environmental Protection Agency. The most consistent findings are increased cholesterol levels among exposed populations, with more limited findings related to low infant birth weights, effects on the immune systems, cancer and thyroid hormone disruption.
Firefighting foam is believed to be the source of PFAS in Dayton’s water, but where the contamination originated is still unknown. The compounds were both used during training at Wright-Patterson Air Force Base and the Dayton Fire Training Center on McFadden Avenue.
April testing showed treated water bound for customers from the Ottawa Water Treatment Plant measured 12.5 ppt (parts per trillion) for PFAS in March and 7 ppt in April, leading Dayton and Montgomery County to both send out notices to customers. The chemicals are currently believed to be safe when below 70 ppt for lifetime exposure.
The chemicals continue to be detected, but officials maintain the water remains safe to drink.
In September, President Trump signed a spending package that included $1 million in funds for Brown’s Firefighter Cancer Registry Act, which requires the CDC to create and maintain a voluntary registry to collect data on cancer incidence among firefighters. The data collected by the registry will be used with existing state data to better assess and prevent cancer among firefighters.