Read the full article by Jonathan Grass (WAFF48)
“DECATUR, Ala. (WAFF) – Environmental advocates say there are dangerously high levels of chemicals flowing into the Tennessee River.
The Tennessee Riverkeeper issued findings of water samples in March flowing out of the closed Mud Tavern landfill into Mud Tavern Creek along Old Moulton Road southwest of Decatur.
The report says the combined levels of PFOS and PFOA as high as 51,000 parts-per-trillion (ng/L) in May and 49,000 parts-per-trillion in March 2020.
The Environmental Protection Agency states 70 parts-per-trillion and below is considered safe for drinking water.
‘These are alarming levels of PFAS chemicals. They are among the highest we have seen in surface water in North Alabama. These PFAS pollution results show the need for extensive sampling across Morgan County and Lawrence County, completely independent from any of the defendants,’ said David Whiteside, founder of Tennessee Riverkeeper.
Tennessee Riverkeeper says it appears that a large sinkhole at the top of the ridge was used as a dump site for years and then covered over with dirt. They said there is also a buried stream that flows into the landfill from the north and emerges on the south side from a pipe into a polluted stream that continues to disperse PFAS chemicals…”