DANGERS AND RISKS
Perfluorooctane sulfonate and perfluorooctanoic acid are flourinated organic chemicals that are part of a larger group of chemicals referred to as perflourackyl substances. The two chemicals are the most studied of this group and are used to make carpets, clothing, fabrics for furniture, paper packaging for food and other materials like cookware. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency has issued a health advisory that recommends pregnant and breast-feeding mothers consider using alternative sources of water for drinking water or for preparation of baby formula that uses tap water with levels of the compounds that exceed the level triggering advisories. To provide Americans, including the most sensitive populations, with a margin of protection from a lifetime of exposure to PFOA and PFOS from drinking water, EPA established the health advisory level at 0.07 parts per billion reduced from a provisional health advisory level of 0.4 ppb.Source: U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, the Alabama Department of Health and Alabama Department of Environmental Management
Over five days' time, drinking water advisories were issued for pregnant and breast-feeding residents regarding two Northeast Alabama water systems, but then were lifted with plans only to conduct sampling for contaminants.
A total of eight Alabama water systems were the subject of advisories issued Friday by the Alabama Department of Health, Department of Environmental Management and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency warning that tests showed concentrations of perfluorooctane sulfonate and perfluorooctanoic acid.
The two compounds have been placed under new guidelines, which establish a significantly lower threshold of 0.07 parts per billion for triggering health advisories, reduced from a previous provisional level of 0.4 ppb, officials said.
But Monday, the state agencies issued another announcement removing five of the eight systems from the advisory list, including the Northeast Alabama Water District near Fort Payne, Ala., and the Centre Water and Sewer Board in Centre.
Dr. Jim McVay, director of health promotions and chronic disease for the state Department of Health, said Tuesday that agencies instead will "conduct confirmatory sampling" at Northeast and Centre, as well as at Gadsden Water Works and Sewer Board, Southside Water Works and Sewer Board, and the Utilities Board of Rainbow City.
Vinemont Anon West Point Water Systems Inc. in Vinemont also was removed from the list after state officials learned the utility was using a different water source, he said.
The two systems remaining on the advisory list are the West Morgan-East Lawrence Water Authority in Decatur and the West Lawrence Water Co-Op in Mount Hope.
McVay said officials in Alabama, reacting to the unexpected release last Thursday of the new EPA guidelines, hedged in Friday's advisories on the side of warning the most vulnerable population - mothers and babies.
Since Friday, state officials reviewed water system data and talked to system officials to gather more information. That led to the reduction of the eight-system list to just two systems, McVay said.
The flip-flop confused Centre's mayor and caused the utility near Fort Payne last week to issue its own response to tell customers that any contaminants found in the system's drinking water came from a source no longer used.
Centre Mayor Tony Wilkie called Monday's reversal "good news."
"I'm confident the Centre Water and Sewer Board will continue to strive to give citizens the best quality of water possible and to meet any new regulations put forth by the EPA, ADEM and the Department of Health," Wilkie said.
Contact staff writer Ben Benton at bbenton@timesfreepress.com or on Twitter twitter.com/BenBenton or on Facebook at www.facebook.com/ben.benton1 or 423-757-6569.