Suspected contamination source: Barnstable County Firefighter Training Academy (Town of Barnstable, 2016)
Contamination of wells in Hyannis is likely connected to aqueous film-forming foam (AFFF) used at a local fire training academy, which contained fluorosurfactants such as PFOS.
The geology of Cape Cod makes its groundwater sources extremely susceptible to contamination. In parts of Massachusetts with clay or rocky soil, ground water can take a decade or more to travel a foot underground, depending on the geology. In some parts of Cape Cod, ground water travels a foot a day, and in many places the water table sits less than 10 feet below the surface.
Additional Resources
Health Advisory
Barnstable/Hyannis Drinking Water Advisory Update
Media Coverage:
- $6.5M sought to treat Hyannis water contaminants
- Elevated Levels of Dangerous Chemicals Found in Hyannis Water
- Cape group wants voice in PFAS discussion
Full citations are available on the second page of the full contamination site tracker. We ask for your additions, changes, questions and comments be sent to pfasproject@gmail.com.