After the Newtown Artesian Water Company (NAWC) sent a letter to residents in February 2019, that PFAS (Definition) - perfluorinated compounds - were detected in Newtown Township's water, supervisor Mack requested that Mr. Dan Angove, NAWC General Manager, return to report on the situation. Mr. Angove complied and presented the Q1 2019 test results at the May 8, 2019, Board of Supervisors public meeting (read "Update on PFAS in Newtown's Water Supply").
At that meeting, Mr. Angove promised that NAWC would test Newtown's water sources for PFAS every quarter and publish the results on its website. The 2019 third quarter (Q3) results are now available. I created the following charts to show the levels of PFAS in relation to different Minimum Contamination Levels (MCLs) and the trends.
There are several conflicting standards for what is considered safe levels for perfluorinated compounds in drinking water. Breana Hashman, a staff scientist and program manager with the Clean Water Action/Fund, an environmental advocacy group recently wrote an opinion piece in the Bucks County Courier Times in which she said:
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"This is enough evidence to warrant interim measures for these communities, such as temporary lowered maximum contaminant levels (MCLs) for PFAS in drinking water that were enacted by municipal water authorities in Warrington, Warminister and Horsham," said Hashman.
