[CPEO-MEF] PFCs: "What's in SLO County's [CA] water?"

[Lenny Siegel <lsiegel@cpeo.org>]

[I suspect that the reports of PFCs in water, from fire-fighting foam, will increase, across the country, as agencies start looking for them. - LS]

Hard to swallow: What's in SLO County's water?

BY CHRIS MCGUINNESS
San Luis Obispo New Times (CA)
January 20, 2016

The water comes out of the tap clear and cool. In the glass it looks just fine. Light dances across its surface, rippling off the liquid’s movement.

But appearances can be deceiving. Just ask the 10—possibly more—well owners near the San Luis Obispo airport who recently found out that something potentially dangerous is lurking in their water.

It’s called trichloroethene or trichloroethylene, but most refer to it as TCE. The chemical, which is listed as a probable carcinogen, was discovered in amounts above what the Federal Environmental Protection Agency considers safe.

...

But two other chemicals, ones currently unregulated but considered to be “emerging contaminants” by the EPA and state officials, have also been found in water samples taken throughout the county.

They are called perfluorooctane sulfonate and perfluorooctanoic acid, or as they are more commonly referred to PFOS and PFOA. Both belong to a larger group of chemicals known as perfluorinated chemicals, or PFCs. The chemicals are man-made and have been utilized for numerous commercial and industrial purposes. According to the EPA, they’ve been found ubiquitously in the environment.

…

For the entire article, see
http://www.newtimesslo.com/cover/13316/hard-to-swallow-whats-in-slo-countys-water/

--

Lenny Siegel
Executive Director, Center for Public Environmental Oversight
a project of the Pacific Studies Center
278-A Hope St., Mountain View, CA 94041
Voice: 650/961-8918 or 650/969-1545
Fax: 650/961-8918
<lsiegel@cpeo.org>
http://www.cpeo.org

_______________________________________________
Military mailing list
Military@lists.cpeo.org
http://lists.cpeo.org/listinfo.cgi/military-cpeo.org