Water Committee: Action is critical for clean water: Cite issues in Center and Near Shore

The majority of water quality tests conducted in the so-called “Center triangle” indicate there is a need for action to be taken to reduce nitrate levels.

The data the town received shows 44% of houses in the Center have nitrogen levels above 5 mg. per liter. That figure, Water Advisory Committee Chairman Peter Grand said, “Is [within] a range that studies have associated with elevated levels of thyroid, colorectal and other cancers and neural tube birth defects.”

He doesn’t want to be an alarmist, Mr. Grand added, “But the results we got are exactly in line with what I would have expected.”

About one-third of the properties in the Center triangle — about 70 houses — had values above 5 mg. per liter, he said.

“Hundreds of us are being exposed to water that presents an active and actionable health concern,” he said in an emailed response to questions about his view of the results the town received.

By previous agreement with those residents who agreed to have their water tested, full results were released to the property owners while the town was given broad numbers with no identity of specific properties.   

The tests were aimed only at nitrogen and coliform contaminants, and the results “require immediate homeowner attention,” Mr. Grand said. “These contaminants are primary indicators of septic waste which contains a range of other contaminants, such as PFOS and PFOAS that are known persistent carcinogens,” he said.

These have been dubbed “forever chemicals” and were found in a number of items — nonstick cookware, cleaning products, rain-resistant clothing, some makeup, even some teeth flossing brands. Scientific papers and state and federal agency reviews have reported these are associated with lower birth weights, decreased antibodies in young children and increased cholesterol in adults.

PFOAS have been associated with decreased fertility, high blood pressure in pregnant women, increased incidences of cancers — including prostate, kidney and testicular cancers — reduced ability to fight infections and interference with the body’s natural hormones.

At a Jan. 22 WAC meeting, member Andrew Chapman proposed, and his colleagues unanimously agreed, to draft a letter alerting residents to the situation. Whether that might require clearance from the Town Board, since the WAC is an advisory group, is unclear.

And no matter who might send the letters, there’s a question about who should receive them. Should they go to only property owners who participated in the recent water tests? To all property owners in the Center triangle? Should they be sent to all town residents? What’s the responsibility of property owners and/or the town to inform renters that water they may be consuming could have high levels of nitrates?

Those determinations await further discussion.

Mr. Chapman said the letters should contain an explanation that reveal the well water is potable with nitrate levels of less than 5 mg. per liter; should be remedied because while it is potable, it is above 5 mg. and needs to be treated; or is not safe to drink because it exceeds 10 mg. per liter.

For those who did not participate in the testing, they may want to get their well water tested, especially if they live in an area where the nitrate levels judged by the testing show there are a substantial number of their neighbors whose water is unsafe to drink, WAC members agreed.

Mr. Chapman said the communication should include information on the health dangers of consuming non-potable water and suggestions for various measures to deal with problems.

He said people whose water hasn’t been tested should get it tested, and be told there are remedies, including:

• Drinking bottled water

• Installing a point of service reverse osmosis system to remove nitrates.

• Hiring a qualified consultant to determine alternative ways of dealing with high nitrate levels

Mr. Grand characterized Mr. Chapman as “a thoughtful voice” on the WAC.

The WAC chairman said the town government has an obligation to take action, including ongoing monitoring of the property owners’ water supplies and to look at a range of contaminants that could affect residents’ health.

As concerned as he is about reducing nitrogen levels in drinking water, Mr. Grand said salt water intrusion in several areas, especially in the Near Shore and Peninsula Overlay District, can’t be ignored.

“The impact of salt-water intrusion can be more problematic” in Near Shore areas, he said.

“The need for public water supplies [in Near Shore areas] may, therefore, be even more critical than in the Center,” he said. “The development of cistern-based irrigation in the Near Shore will also be critical to preserving well water supplies for as long as possible … As WAC chair, I am committed to a balanced agenda, taking into consideration the inter-related needs of clean water in the Center and long-term resilience [in the] Near Shore.”