CERCLA PFAS Enforcement Listening Sessions

April 4, 2023April 4, 2023 John Lovie

Key takeaways:

EPA will focus enforcement efforts on federal facilities, including military bases, and manufacturers

EPA proposes exempting from CERCLA liability State, tribal, or municipal airports, and tribal or local fire departments, in exchange for full cooperation with investigations.

The first is good news for residents near Ault Field and OLF whose water has been contaminated by firefighting activities at these Navy facilities, and the second for others whose water may have been contaminated by non-military firefighting activities. Continue reading CERCLA PFAS Enforcement Listening Sessions

DOH, Island County, PFAS, Sea Level Rise

March 2023 Member Meeting Presentations

March 23, 2023May 15, 2023 John Lovie

Presentation from the March 2023 Quarterly Member Meeting. Downloadable PDF files with links. Continue reading March 2023 Member Meeting Presentations

PFAS

About that Toilet Paper

March 15, 2023March 15, 2023 John Lovie

A new study published this week was showed that toilet paper is a major contributor to PFAS in wastewater.

Rural Washington State relies heavily on septic systems for sewage treatment and on ground water wells for drinking water. In voluntary testing of public water systems in Washington State, PFAS compounds have been detected in about 10% of them. Could PFAS from our toilet paper be showing up in our drinking water? Continue reading About that Toilet Paper

DOH, EPA, PFAS

2023 EPA Proposal to Regulate PFAS in
Drinking Water

March 15, 2023March 15, 2023 John Lovie

What did EPA announce?
On March 14, 2023, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) announced a proposed rule for
regulating six per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) in drinking water. Over the next year, the
proposed rule will undergo an extensive public review and comment process. The final regulation may
differ from the proposal.
EPA proposed maximum contamination levels (MCLs) of 4 parts per trillion (ppt) for perfluorooctane
sulfonate (PFOS) and four parts per trillion (ppt) perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA). Continue reading 2023 EPA Proposal to Regulate PFAS in
Drinking Water

Agenda, Meetings

Quarterly Member Meeting March 16, 2023 Agenda

March 13, 2023April 4, 2023 John Lovie

Theme of this meeting: Climate Change and Water Systems:
December 2022 Flooding
Puget Sound Sea Level Rise Vulnerability Assessment
Town of Coupeville Sea Level Rise Vulnerability Assessment
Sea Water Intrusion in Island County
Vulnerability Self-Assessment Tool
Emergency Management Community Response Team Training
Q&A Continue reading Quarterly Member Meeting March 16, 2023 Agenda

Meetings, Minutes

Member Meeting Minutes, January 5, 2023

March 13, 2023April 4, 2023 John Lovie

Minutes of the special meeting. Continue reading Member Meeting Minutes, January 5, 2023

Sea Level Rise

Town of Coupeville Sea Level Rise Vulnerability Assessment

March 6, 2023April 23, 2023 John Lovie

The Town of Coupeville has completed a Sea Level Rise Vulnerability Assessment, including the vulnerability of the water system. Continue reading Town of Coupeville Sea Level Rise Vulnerability Assessment

PFAS, Seattle Times

Sea-Tac’s legacy of PFAS chemicals: ‘foam showers,’ sick firefighters and contaminated water

February 17, 2023February 17, 2023 John Lovie

SEATAC — In the 1980s, rookie firefighters at Seattle-Tacoma International Airport endured a hazing ritual known as the “foam shower.”

Recruits stood some 150 feet down the tarmac with 5-gallon buckets and were told to catch firefighting foam shot out of a crash-response truck’s water cannon.

They would wear the usual helmet and heat-resistant gear, but still ended up drenched as the bubbly white liquid rained down on them. Continue reading Sea-Tac’s legacy of PFAS chemicals: ‘foam showers,’ sick firefighters and contaminated water

RCAC, Training

Free Washington Drinking Water Workshops