Suspected source: Firefighting foam used at Firematics Training Facility
Firematics site in Yaphank (676 Maple St.) has served as a volunteer firefigher training center since 1959. AFFF was used at the site until May 2016 when NYS classified PFOS and PFOA as hazardous substances.
Beginning in July 2016, Suffolk County Dept. of Health Services (SCDHS) contacted potentially affected residents with private wells and obtained water samples. Several private wells had levels of PFOS/PFOA above the EPA HAL.
SCDHS provided bottled water to all residents in the private well survey area (7/2016). Suffolk County Legislature authorized the county to enter into agreement with Suffolk County Water Authority to connect residences in the immediate contamination area to public water. As of January 2017, 16 homes had been connected at no cost to homeowners.
In February 2017, private well sampling extended farther east and south of the Firematics site and bottled water provided to residents who were not yet connected to public water. After June 2017, SCDHS began the process to connect another 32 properties to public water.
NYSDEC named the Firematics site as a State Superfund site in April 2017. SCDHS, NYSDEC, and NYSDOH are developing a work plan to assess the effects of PFCs on surface waters in the Carman’s River and its aquatic life.
Diane Singer, Brian Valentin and Kelly Valentin filed a complaint individually and on behalf of all others similarly situated on Nov. 29 in the Superior Court of the State of New York Suffolk County against The 3M Co., Tyco Fire Products LP, et al. alleging negligence, failure to warn and other counts. According to the complaint, Yaphank receives its water from a sole source aquifer and the community is near the Suffolk County Firematics Training Facility in Brookhaven. (case number 2:17-cv-06962)
Additional Resources:
- Suffolk County: Groundwater Quality in the Vicinity of Yaphank
- SCDHS: Suffolk County Well Testing Results July 2017
- PFCs on Long Island
Media Coverage:
- Progress Continues in Response to PFC Impacts at Yaphank Firematics Site
- Yaphank, New York residents file suit over alleged contamination of water supply
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.