Colorado Springs Struggles To Meet EPA's PFC Guidelines

Drinking water is becoming a luxury for 80,000 people south of Colorado Springs, as invisible toxic chemicals are contaminating their drinking water.

The chemical in question, used mostly to fight petroleum fires, has been measured in the drinking water at levels that the U.S. EPA considers to be dangerous.

These perfluorinated chemicals (PFC) are considered to be among the worst in a “expanding multitude of unregulated contaminants” that scientists have been detecting in city water supplies.

According to The Denver Post almost all water in 32 of the Security Water and Sanitation District’s municipal wells is contaminated with PFCs at levels that exceed an EPA health advisory limit of “70 parts per trillion.” At one well, PFCs are reported to reach levels of 1,370 ppt, nearly 20 times higher than the limit.

Security Water and Sanitation District Manager Roy Heald has shut off seven wells, including those feeding into a signature white water tower above the city. According to The Denver Post he mailed notices on June 3 informing customers that their water was contaminated with chemicals linked to cancer and other ailments.

Some residents receiving notices in their water bills about the contamination exceeding the May 19 EPA health advisory limit and have switched to bottled water.

Colorado Radio reported that in May, the EPA reduced the levels for allowable contamination by perfluorinated chemicals from 0.4 micrograms per liter to 0.07 micrograms per liter, almost 10 times lower.

"The EPA lowered the standards below what we had anticipated; and then the problem was the new health advisory was so much more stringent that none of our wells would meet them," Heald told Colorado Radio. "Different people have different concerns. The health advisory is protecting the most sensitive members of the population — pregnant women, fetuses, infants... I'm a healthy middle-aged male so I feel my risk is low. But I understand that others rightfully have concerns."

According to Colorado Radio, well water has been most affected by the advisory. Heald said that supply is largely being replaced by surface water.

Wells have been shut down and other steps, like the implementation of new pipes and building filtration structures, are underway.

"We've been asking for help from anyone who will listen for some financial support but no one has offered," Heald said. "There's no party that's been found to be responsible for the contamination, so no one's stepped up to pay for this."

To read more about PFC contamination visit Water Online’s Source Water Contamination Solutions Center.