Dredging possible as pollution in Farmington River spill disperses
State officials are considering the possibility of dredging a section of the Farmington River in Windsor contaminated by a spill of firefighting foam containing the hazardous chemical compounds called PFAS.
Liz Lacy, a National Park Service official, said Thursday that she’s been told by a Connecticut environmental official there “could be some dredging” of the river to remove sediments polluted by the spill that originated at Bradley International Airport.
PFAS compounds have been linked to illnesses that include reproductive problems, kidney cancer, and increased cholesterol levels. Known as “forever chemicals,” various forms of PFAS persist in the environment for long periods and are very difficult to remove.
The lower Farmington River has been federally designated as a wild and scenic waterway and any dredging to remove contaminated sediments would require federal permits, Lacy said.
Jeff Chandler, supervisor of the state’s emergency environmental response unit, said testing and monitoring of the spill’s impact on the river is continuing and no decision on future remediation actions has been made. “We don’t have data indicating any dredging is required at this point,” he said, adding he wasn’t ruling out the possibility of future removal of sediments.
Chandler said the state warning to the public remains in effect to avoid contact with any remaining pockets of foam on the river or eating fish caught in the lower Farmington. He also advised against swimming, canoeing or kayaking in the lower section of the river, or boating in the area if there is any chance of coming into contact with possible foam lingering along the river.
State officials say they don’t believe any of the PFAS contaminated water and foam has reached any area drinking water supplies.
Lacy, who has worked for the National Park Service for 18 years, said she isn’t aware of any similar spills in the region that have impacted a wild and scenic river like the Farmington. “It’s unusual and kind of shocking that there aren’t better prevention methods in place to keep this chemical from getting into the [river] water,” Lacy said.
Jack Albano, owner of a canoe outfitter business that offers paddling tours along the section of the river hit by the chemical spill, said Thursday the pollution “is definitely a big worry of mine.”
“How is this going to affect my business?” asked Albano, owner of Metacomet Tours. Albano said the six-mile stretch of the river from near Poquonnock Avenue to Palisado Avenue is a very popular section for his customers and other kayakers and boaters.
“I also swim and paddle in the river. … It’s definitely not something to take lightly,” Albano said of the potential health impacts of the spill.
Contamination from PFAS has become a national public health and environmental concern and has launched lawsuits in Vermont, New Hampshire, New York and other states. Vermont’s governor just signed into law some of the toughest controls over PFAS in drinking water in the nation.
PFAS foam is considered highly effective at suppressing chemical and fuel fires and is routinely stored and used by Connecticut fire departments for both training and combating fires. “It’s used everywhere,” said DEEP spokesman Lee Sawyer. “It’s been used frequently throughout the state.”
But those types of chemical compounds are also found in everything from nonstick pans to consumer packaging, raising additional concerns about potential public health impacts.
Chandler said the booms placed around the river outfall from the MDC plant off Poquonnock Avenue in Windsor remain in place and any foam emerging from the plant is being collected.
Test results on the river water were not available Thursday. Chandler said tests on aquatic life and river sediments are expected to be performed later.
According to Chandler, the state Department of Energy and Environmental Protection is working with Connecticut health officials to determine what levels of the PFAS chemicals could be safely allowed to remain in the river without endangering public health or the environment.
Saturday’s malfunction of a fire suppression system at the Signature Flight private hangar at Bradley International Airport triggered the release of an estimated 50,000 gallons of water and foam containing PFAS chemicals. An undetermined amount of that water-and-foam mixture flowed into the sewer system down to an MDC treatment plant on Poquonnock Avenue and into the Farmington. The secondary treatment plant isn’t designed to remove those types of chemical compounds, officials said.
Booms were placed around the foam coming from the MDC facility on Sunday and a contractor hired by Signature Flight has been attempting to vacuum up as much of the chemical foam as possible. Officials estimate that about 19,000 gallons of the chemical foam-and-water mixture has been collected thus far from the hangar, the sewer system, the MDC plant and the river.
MDC officials have declined the Courant’s request for access to the plant’s outflow into the river “at this time.”
Chandler said the recent rains have broken up and diluted most of the remaining pockets of PFAS foam in the river. He said there will be an undetermined amount of the chemical compounds “that is not recoverable.”
“You don’t want these compounds discharged into the environment,” said Andrew Fisk, executive director of the Connecticut River Conservancy. He called the spill into the Farmington a “chronic, long-term insult to the river.”
Connecticut officials need to ensure that any future such spills at Bradley Airport don’t get into the sewer system that leads to the river, Fisk said. “The MDC can’t manage this,” he added.
Fisk said PFAS contamination of groundwater and drinking supplies has become a major controversy in Vermont and other states. He said anywhere the PFAS has been used in manufacturing is likely to have groundwater contamination issues.
Bill Dornbos, executive director of the Farmington River Watershed Association, said members of his organization are very concerned about the impact of the PFAS spill and want action to make sure similar accidents don’t result in future pollution of the Farmington.
Dornbos said the possibility of dredging of the river “raises another whole set of issues about how that might take place.”
Lacy said any state dredging plan for the lower Farmington would require a permit from the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers and approval of other federal agencies, including the National Park Service.
“We would want to make sure the banks of the river were restored to scenic standards,” Lacy said.
Gregory B. Hladky can be reached at ghladky@ courant.com.
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