The drinking water in Delray Beach, Florida is heavily contaminated with PFAS
By Pat Elder
March 17, 2022
Tropic Isle Harbor, Delray Beach, Florida. Photo Point2Homes
I recently tested the drinking water in Delray Beach, Florida and found it contains 459.5 parts per trillion (ppt) of various PFAS compounds. I took the sample from the drinking fountain at the clubhouse located at 800 Tropic Isle Drive in Delray Beach. The EPA has established a Lifetime Health Advisory of 70 ppt for PFOS and PFOA combined. Delray’s water contains 116 ppt of PFOS and 32.9 ppt of PFOA. This is two times over the EPA limit.
These are astronomical levels, among the highest anywhere in the country.
The PFAS test kit used in the sampling performed on February 20, 2022 was manufactured by Cyclopure, a materials science company. The test kits are finding widespread use and have been found to be remarkably accurate. The company has several DOD contracts to clean up PFAS contamination on military installations.
PFOA is thought to be among the most poisonous chemical compounds ever developed. Delray Beach’s water has 32.9 ppt of PFOA. The safety threshold for PFOA in drinking water should be as low as .1 part per trillion, according to the nation’s former top toxicologist, Linda Birnbaum, director of the National Institute for Environmental Health Sciences. PFOS is also extraordinarily dangerous. This is very bad news for Delray Beach.
Many states are concerned that the EPA’s 70 ppt limit fails to protect public health and have moved to limit the chemicals to 20 ppt. Massachusetts limits the total of the six PFAS compounds below to 20 ppt. Delray has 369.6 ppt of the six.
Six states: MI, NY, NH, NJ, MA, & VT require drinking water to contain less than 20 ppt of various PFAS compounds, including PFOS and PFOA. Others have slightly higher limits in place. Many states are on the verge of implementing regulations to further regulate PFAS in drinking water. Not Florida.
Delray Totals for the six compounds regulated by Massachusetts
PFOS 116.0
PFOA 32.9
PFHxS 208.3
PFNA 2.1
PFHpA 10.3
PFDA 0
Total 369.6 ( Overall 459.5)
(EPA’s advisory is 70 ppt for combined total of PFOS and PFOA)
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This will cost a lot of money to address, especially considering years of neglect in the Sunshine State.
Harvard’s School of Public Health and the Environmental Working Group say we ought to be regulating all of these compounds as a class and keeping them under 1 ppt in our drinking water. PFAS is deadly.
They’re in denial in Florida.
Delray Beach residents should not drink the water and they should not cook with the water. These compounds must be heated past 1,650 degrees to break down. People in Delray should not drink liquids prepared with ice made from the city’s water. Bathing is OK.
The town says the highest levels they found for PFAS came to 46 ppt. They failed to test for any of the other compounds. They don’t have to because the EPA doesn’t require it.
Some of the city's raw water wells draw from the surficial aquifer, just 75 feet below the ground. The same polluted aquifer provides water to many cities in South Florida. It’s ghastly.
Meanwhile, the town and the state are engaged in a misinformation campaign that assures its residents that PFAS is not of great concern, even though the chemicals cause cancer in the tiniest amounts. California designates PFOS and PFOA as carcinogens and starts the regulatory process when the substances in drinking water exceed 6.5 ppt for PFOS and 5.1 ppt for PFOA. Still, many toxicologists say these levels are too high.
In October, 2020 Public Employees for Environmental Responsibility published results showing 113.5 ppt of Total PFAS in Delray’s drinking water. PFOS had a concentration of 33 ppt and PFOA totaled 16 ppt. The recent test found total PFAS levels four times higher than PEER’s results.
Florida PEER Director Jerry Phillips warned the town: “The level of toxic PFAS chemicals in drinking water samples from the city of Delray Beach, Florida exceeds the safety limits in several states, according to laboratory results.. In addition, reliance upon PFAS-contaminated reclaimed water and biosolid fertilizers may be making matters worse. While it may still be legal in Florida to drink water laced with PFAS, it is definitely not a good idea.”
PEER’s Lab results may be found here.
A few days after PEER released its results, the town responded to PEER’s findings with this statement found on its website: Setting the Record Straight on Peer.
“On October 26, 2020, PEER issued a press release stating that Delray Beach’s drinking water had PFAS levels over the health advisory levels set by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), and that the water was not safe for consumption. This statement is false, the truth is that recent test results confirmed that the City’s drinking water PFAS levels are well below the established maximum health advisory levels for combined concentrations of PFOA and PFOS of 70 ng/l. In an abundance of caution, the City of Delray Beach submitted samples of its drinking water in August 2020, to Eurofins Labs, a laboratory certified by the State of Florida to test for combined levels of PFAS (sic) and PFOA in the city’s drinking water. The test revealed that the City’s drinking water was 49 nanograms per liter (ng/l), significantly below the EPA’s established health advisory level.”
August 2020 Delray Beach Results:
PFOS Perfluorooctanesulfonic acid 33 ng/l (ppt)
PFOA Perfluorooctanoic acid 16 ng/l (ppt)
These are the same numbers reported by PEER. The town’s response is misleading because PEER never stated that the town was in violation of the 70 ppt advisory for PFOS and PFOA set by the EPA. Instead, PEER said several states, with more stringent levels than the EPA’s, would not allow its residents to drink water as contaminated as Delray’s.
Florida Water Propaganda
Ron DeSantis, Governor
Scott A. Rivkees, MD, State Surgeon General
Vision: To be the Healthiest State in the Nation
The state of Florida wages a misinformation campaign to convince its residents that PFAS is not much of a concern in the state’s drinking water. Many states that are delinquent in protecting public health from PFAS use these arguments. The following are examples of a vicious psychological campaign being practiced by the Florida Department of Health to the detriment of public health.
Here are a few zingers from the Florida Department of Health. (followed by brief commentary.)
Studies about health effects of PFAS exposure in humans and animals have not reached clear conclusions. (This is not true. Read what Harvard’s School of Public Health says.)
Questions discussed in this factsheet mainly focus on PFOA and PFOS. (These compounds were phased out of production many years ago, although they’re still plentiful in the environment. Their replacement chemicals are also dangerous to our health, although Delray Beach, Florida has chosen not to address them. For instance, the town has 208.3 ppt of PFHxS in its water, while many states limit this dangerous chemical to 20 ppt in water.)
There is currently no consistent scientific evidence that PFOS and PFOA cause cancer in humans. (See California’s determination that PFOS and PFOA are proven carcinogens.)
Correlations between exposure to PFAS and health effects have been inconsistent. (Some, maybe, but there’s plenty “consistency” to take measures to protect public health!)
More research is needed to fully understand any health effects in humans. (Agreed, but we know enough to take measures to limit these chemicals in water.)
The EPA has developed a lifetime drinking water health advisory level for PFOA and/or PFOS of 70 ppt. Drinking water at or below this standard for a lifetime is not expected to harm your health. (People in Delray Beach are consuming twice the 70 ppt threshold while the Environmental Working Group says we ought to keep the levels under 1 ppt.)
From Florida Health - PFAS - Q and A’s
Q - I drank water that exceeded the Health Advisory Level for PFAS while I was pregnant and lactating. What impact could it have on my child?
A - Studies in humans and animals are inconclusive and further, intense research is needed to know for sure about possible health effects related to duration and frequency of exposure.
(Florida ought to update its website! PFAS are associated with increased odds of ADHD, impulsivity/hyperactivity, and oppositional defiant disorder in children. Maternal PFOA concentrations were associated with higher risk of obesity at 8 years of age in their offspring. Mothers with high levels of PFAS in their blood were more likely to have heavier children at 20 months. Among overweight children, both PFOA and PFOS were associated with increased insulin concentration and elevated insulin resistance. Various PFAS are associated with hypertension. PFOS has been linked to hardening of the arteries in teenagers. Higher levels of PFOA, PFOS, PFHxS, all found in Delray’s water are associated with increasing odds of childhood asthma. There are positive associations between maternal plasma PFOA and common cold incidence in the first 3 years of life. There are associations between PFOA and PFHxS and gastroenteritis in children. There is consistent evidence that later age menarche and delayed mammary gland development is associated with PFOA and PFOS exposure. There is also evidence linking PFAS to hypothyroidism.)
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Q - If PFAS have been found in my soil and water, should I be concerned?
A - While garden fruits and vegetables should be considered when evaluating the risk to exposure of PFAS, no data are currently available for Florida to evaluate possible risks.
(Read the Sierra Club’s report Sludge in the Garden. They warn gardeners not to use biosolids-derived fertilizers for use on fruit and vegetable beds, citing health reasons due to PFAS.)
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Q - Can I water my lawn with water containing PFAS?
A - Watering a lawn with non-edible plants and grass poses little risk.
(PFAS never break down, so the water being sprayed on your lawn or Delray’s golf courses may enter the already polluted surficial aquifer that is used for drinking water. The aquifer in South Florida has also been used for the injection of sewage and industrial waste.)
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Q - Can I use “reuse water” for watering my home produce?
A - No. Reuse water should never be used for home-grown produce due to the concern for human microbial pathogens.
(Here, the Florida Department of Health alludes to the threat posed by pathogens and argues against applying reuse water to home gardens. The state, however, will not acknowledge the threat posed by PFAS in this regard.)
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Q - Can I swim in my pool if it is contaminated with PFAS?
A - Skin contact with and breathing PFAS (PFOA and PFOS) are minor concerns because these exposures are either uncommon or very low. You can drain and replace pool water with clean water from a different source. However, if you are careful to avoid swallowing pool water which is always a good practice, the risk of exposure to PFAS from swimming should be very low.
(A recent study by the CDC showed the dust in homes in Martinsburg WV near Shepherd Air National Guard base where the chemicals have been recklessly discarded into the environment contained 16.4 million ppt of PFHxS and 13.9 million ppt of PFOS. The banks of lakes and streams nearby are saturated with these chemicals. When it becomes dry, the compounds become airborne, creating carcinogenic dust that people may inhale. What’s in you dust, Delray?)
The City of Delray Beach’s 2020 Annual Drinking Water Quality Report omits any mention of PFAS.
Where might the PFAS coming from in Delray Beach?
There are four EPA-designated Brownfields in Delray Beach. A brownfield is a property that is contaminated with hazardous substances, making it difficult or impossible to develop, although things are loosening up in this regard. Pollution, hazardous waste, unsafe storage tanks, unmanaged factories, and chemical spills are some examples. These hazards have the potential to threaten the surrounding natural environment and kill us.
Carver Square is a Brownfield site that consisted of an old pond that became an illegal dump. Landfills like this are known to contain high levels of PFAS that leach into the surficial aquifer. For instance, in Vermont, in 2019, three mattresses, two box springs, two couches, and one chair were pulled out of the waste stream at the Coventry Landfill - (See Appendix C) and tested for PFAS. Small swatches of fabric were analyzed and found to contain a combined concentration of 1.2 million ppt of PFAS. It all drains into the surficial aquifer.
South Florida is a like a giant kitty litter box that hasn’t been cleaned for a long while.
Carver Square is now being developed. It is Delray Beach’s latest workforce housing initiative. It is a partnership between the Delray Community Redevelopment Agency (CRA) and the PulteGroup.
These three addresses are also Brownfield sites in Delray. Who knows precisely what was on them, although it’s a good bet they were loaded with a host of toxins that drained into the ground: 101 SW 13 Ave, 19 SW 10th Ave, and 27 SW 14th Ave.
Home Facts does an excellent job repackaging EPA data. They report on 5 active polluters in Delray Beach. This data is generated by the United States Government.
(1) Titan Florida Delray Beach RMC Plant - 1300 S. Swinton Ave.
Titan America may process fly ash, a material that is known to contain high concentrations of PFAS. The compounds may be contaminating the groundwater.
(2) South Central Regional Wastewater Treatment Plant - 1801 N Congress Ave.
Delray’s wastewater system no longer spreads sewer sludge on agricultural fields. Instead, the town sends its sludge to the Palm Beach County Solid Waste Authority Biosolids Pelletization Facility. We ought to know where these pellets of poison are flooding the waters. We should know where these fields are located because the produce grown is likely to be loaded with cancer causing PFAS.
The sludge leaving Delray has high levels of PFAS, according to testing done for Public Employees for Environmental Responsibility (PEER). PEER found the sludge contained 52,300 parts per trillion (ppt) of 13 different PFAS. https://peer.org/toxic-pfas-taints-delray-and-boynton-beach/
(3) Micronized Fluoropolymer Products Inc - 1055 SW 15th Ave
Fluoropolymers are a class of PFAS. The best known fluoropolymer is polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE) under the brand name "Teflon," trademarked by the DuPont Company. We don’t know if Micronized Fluoropolymer Products, Inc is contaminating the environment with PFAS, although it is possible.
(4) Hardrives Asphalt Co Delray Beach Plant - 2350 S Congress Ave
PFAS compounds may be used in various asphalt processes. We don’t know if this company uses PFAS and we don’t know if it is contaminating the environment.
(5) Continental Florida Materials Delray Ready Mix - 1860 NW First Street
The porous nature of concrete absorbs and accumulates PFAS into its internal structure. Without proper treatment and management, this contaminated concrete acts as a reservoir of PFAS, steadily leaching it into sub-building soil or surface water during rainfall events. We don’t know what’s in the concrete made in Delray Beach.
Reclaimed water contains PFAS
Reclaimed water is wastewater discharged from residential and industrial buildings. Everything you flush down the toilet or pour down your drain is sent to a wastewater treatment plant. Think of all the chemicals in all those canisters under your sink. Industrial facilities send poisons, including PFAS down the drain too. Wastewater treatment plants don’t treat PFAS. They just let it pass through.
Reclaimed water customers in Delray Beach use about 2.5 million gallons per day for irrigation purposes. That’s nearly a trillion gallons yearly. Reclaimed water contains a lot of PFAS and folks in Delray have been drinking it.
In September 2020, Delray Beach sent reclaimed water directly into drinking water pipes sickening a number of residents. Shelly Petrolia, the mayor of the small town, sent a text message to the city manager, apparently trying to cover up the widespread poisoning, “Whatever goes out, (to the media) needs to include information that doesn’t implicate this administration. It’s news to all of us. That didn’t happen on our watch. We are going to be creamed otherwise.”
This provides an insight into south Florida culture in this regard.
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There are currently 570 metered connections to the reclaimed water system, primarily on the exclusive stretch of real property between the intercoastal waterway and the ocean. The biggest users are golf courses and homeowner associations catering to the wealthy.
Devil’s Been Busy - Traveling Wilburys
While you're strolling down the fairway
Showing no remorse
Glowing from the poisons
They've sprayed on your golf course
While you're busy sinking birdies
And keeping your scorecard
The devil's been busy in your back yard
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What’s in the water? What’s in the fish?
Delray Beach’s facility may soon produce 4.7 million gallons of reclaimed water per day. The city currently withdraws groundwater from 30 active surficial aquifer wells in four wellfields and one Floridan aquifer well for subsequent treatment and distribution to its service area.
Solid Waste Management
The city is responsible for collection of solid waste within the city limits through a franchise contract with Waste Management, Inc. The Solid Waste Authority’s solid waste management system consists of a landfill and a 3,000 ton per day mass burn waste-to-energy plant.
Landfills are like giant coffee makers. Consumer products like waterproof boots, rugs, carpets, and raincoats are eventually discarded at the landfill. They’re pulverized and they percolate. The rains come and produce a leachate soup teaming with PFAS. Guess where a lot of it winds up?
People just can’t seem to wrap their heads around the fact that PFAS doesn’t break down. It can’t be burned, either.
On an average day, Palm Beach County waste-to-energy plant burns more than 3,000 tons of trash. That's in addition to the 2,000 tons already incinerated at the county's existing waste-to-energy plant, built in 1989. Between the two facilities, the Solid Waste Authority generates enough electricity to power about 40,000 homes a year. Palm Beach officials say the incinerators are a clean and safe alternative to landfills, although they’re likely sprinkling PFAS over south Florida. It lands on our yards and waterways and seeps into the groundwater. Photo - Solid Waste Authority of Palm Beach County
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