Berkeley Springs public water poses no concerns, say organizers
by Lisa Schauer
Organizers of a public meeting here on PFAS chemicals in public water made clear last week that community water coming to Berkeley Springs does not contain these “forever chemicals” to any detectable degree.
More than one speaker praised Berkeley Springs’ famous water.
Around 30 people attended the public meeting held at The Country Inn on Thursday, October 3. It was hosted by West Virginia Department of Environmental Protection and Fair Shake Environmental Legal Services.
Part of a series across the Eastern Panhandle, the two-hour public meeting was required by the 2023 PFAS Protection Act.
“I learned people want education,” said DEP project manager Mitch McAdoo after responding to questions.
Each round table was given a map of Morgan County. People were encouraged to mark any spot they were concerned about, such as a broken septic or sewage.
The mapping exercise was part of a crowdsourcing strategy for development of PFAS action plans, as needed.
McAdoo said only one water sample in Morgan County contained PFAS levels exceeding the EPA maximum of four parts per trillion, which is “a drop in 26 Olympic sized swimming pools.”
A PFAS action plan will be developed for Apple Orchard Acres, a neighborhood of 91 people served by a well owned by West Virginia American Water Company.
American Water Company operates in 13 states.
According to their website, “West Virginia American Water has performed voluntary sampling to better understand the occurrence of certain PFAS in drinking water sources. This sampling allows us to understand how our water compares against the non-enforceable health advisory level set by U.S. EPA.”
Chemical compounds collectively known as PFAS were first used industrially as a refrigerant in the 1930s.
By the 1950s, PFAS were being used to manufacture consumer products such as Teflon, GOR-TEX and Scotchgard.
In 2009, PFAS were replaced by chemical compounds known as GenX, now in use.
Called forever chemicals, PFAS persist in the environment and the body. They have known health risks to humans and animals.
Ways to reduce PFAS in drinking water at home include adopting a sustainable bottled water program, using a water distiller, or catalytic carbon filters.
Anyone who has questions about their water quality should contact their water provider, McAdoo said.
He said there is no project schedule yet for the PFAS action plan, but more water samples will be taken at Apple Orchard Acres.
