“CLARENDON — The state suspects firefighting foam used during a 1986 plane crash near the then-Rutland State Airport could be the source of chemical contamination that has showed up in wells that serve the Rutland Airport Business Park.
On Monday, state officials told the Clarendon Select Board that only two wells near the Rutland-Southern Vermont Regional Airport tested positive for PFOS and PFOA, or polyfluoroalkyl substances, that were higher than state standards.
The two wells served hundreds of employees at the business park.
Other wells tested in the area, particularly along Airport Road and at the state-owned airport, have revealed no detectable levels of the chemicals. The chemical is used many items, from waterproof fabric to pizza boxes.
Chuck Schwer, of the state’s Waste Management and Prevention Division, and Michael Nahmias, a hazardous site manager, told about two dozen Clarendon residents the state was doing additional testing of the residential neighborhood along Route 7B near the business park.
Nahmias said a carbon-based filter system would be installed in the water system serving the eight businesses that get their water from the two wells, which are located on airport property but serve the business park.
Businesses are being supplied with bottled water.
The Select Board meeting was moved to the Community Center from the town hall to accommodate the crowd. Residents peppered Schwer and Nahmias with questions about how far afield the state would test for contamination and how sure they were that the source of the PFOS and PFOA was the firefighting foam from 32 years ago.
Residents also told the state officials that drainage from the airport ended up in the Mill River, and in wetlands on the west side of the airport.”
Read the full article by Susan Smallheer.