East Lyme water officials face costly well contamination problem

January 05, 2024 4:18 pm • Last Updated: January 05, 2024 7:06 pm

By Elizabeth Regan
Day Staff Writer

East Lyme ― The Water and Sewer Department this week announced that low levels of toxic “forever chemicals” found in two of the town’s seven wells could have costly implications for the town.

Utilities engineer Ben North this week said “very low” levels of per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) were found in the wells north of Gorton Pond in the Flanders section of town and near Dodge Pond in Niantic. The rest of the wells did not contain detectable levels of the chemical.

The testing was conducted in November after the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) made testing mandatory earlier in the year. North said another round of testing will be conducted in six months.

“I immediately want to stress that the water that is currently being supplied by the East Lyme Water Department is in compliance with all state and federal drinking water standards,” North said.

But those standards could change if a new rule proposed by the EPA is approved. The change would put the first-ever federal limits on the amount of PFAS allowed in the water supply.

North said any PFAS in the system is too much, and it’s his goal to get the levels down to zero. He estimated the cost of removing the chemicals from the water ― which would be accomplished by building a new treatment facility he likened to a high-tech, industrial Brita filter ― is likely to be “in the millions.”

The widespread chemicals have been around since the latter half of the last century in products like nonstick pans, food packaging and firefighting foam. Research cited by the EPA links the chemicals to harmful effects including decreased fertility, low birth weight and increased risk of cancer and obesity.

The state Department of Energy and Environmental Protection said the chemicals don’t break down and can accumulate over time. That makes long-term consumption of the water a possible problem.

PFAS levels

The chemicals comprising the PFAS family are measured in parts per trillion. Each part per trillion is equivalent to one drop of water in 20 Olympic-sized swimming pools, according to North.

The state Department of Public Health says levels of PFOA and PFOS, the most prevalent subsets of the chemical, are acceptable up to 16 parts per trillion and 10 parts per trillion, respectively.

PFOA levels were found in the Flanders well at 4.5 parts per trillion and in the Niantic well at 9.2 parts per trillion. PFOS levels came in at 5.8 parts per trillion in the Flanders well and 3 parts per trillion in the Niantic well.

The EPA last March proposed the new rule that would limit PFOS and PFOA to the lowest levels that can be reliably measured, which the agency identified as 4 parts per trillion. It would also regulate four other subsets of the chemical in combination.

A final decision on the federal proposal is expected early this year.

The East Lyme system pumps water from seven wells into two above-ground storage tanks. North emphasized that since water from all the wells blends together before delivery to customers, the exposure for any one user is likely to be lower than water from one of the contaminated wells.

That also means users who live near the wells with PFAS detected in them have the same level of exposure as the rest of the people who tie into the public water system, he said.

North said he couldn’t speculate why the chemicals showed up in the wells they did.

“We want to remove them from our system and we want our residents to feel comfortable we’re doing what we think is the best thing for their health,” he said.

Who foots the bill

The Water and Sewer Department will be compiling preliminary estimates for a new treatment facility to address the harmful chemicals in the next three to six months, according to North. He said his goal is to get a full design and to possibly start construction by the end of the year.

North said he has reached out to the state for more information on possible funding sources that would cover the cost of a new treatment system in East Lyme.

The state Department of Public Health did not return a request for information about available funding on Friday.

The EPA last February announced Connecticut received $18.9 million in funding out of the $5 billion allocated through the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law to address contaminants like PFAS.

Ayanti Grant, a spokeswoman for U.S. Rep. Joe Courtney, D-2nd District, said the congressman and his staff have engaged with municipalities such as Tolland and Killingworth on this issue “and are open and available to speak with East Lyme to explore possible avenues of assistance and their eligibility.”

Another option is looking at alternative water sources, according to North. That could mean increased reliance on the connection to New London’s Piacenti Water Treatment Facility or drilling a new well on Plants Dam Road.

But the utilities engineer emphasized his department's focus is on treatment.

“We’ll add more wells in the future, but we’re not going to neglect the wells we have,” he said.

The town last month opted out of a class action lawsuit against chemical manufacturers 3M and Dupont. All municipal drinking water providers were eligible to join the lawsuit. The deadline to opt out was in December.

The Associated Press reported in 2023 that 3M Co. agreed to pay at least $10.3 billion to settle lawsuits. Dupont previously reached a $1.18 billion deal to resolve PFAS complaints by hundreds of drinking water providers.

North said his department in consultation with the town attorney and the Water and Sewer Commission decided that accepting the current settlements could remove the liability of 3M and Dupont in future litigation.

“Additionally, after speaking with other utilities that have opted in, they only expect to receive about 10% of what they believe the true treatment cost will be to remove PFAS,” he said.

The department will hold an informational session on the well issue at the next Water and Sewer Commission meeting at 7 p.m. on Jan. 23 at the Town Hall.

e.regan@theday.com