Sat Sep 14 11:35:45 UTC 2024: ## Forever Chemicals Found in Androscoggin River Following Firefighting Foam Spill

**BRUNSWICK, Maine** – The Androscoggin River has been contaminated with “forever chemicals” following a massive spill of toxic firefighting foam at the former Brunswick Naval Air Station last month.

Friends of Merrymeeting Bay, a nonprofit organization, took water samples in the area and found alarmingly high levels of PFAS, commonly known as “forever chemicals,” near a sewer treatment plant discharge pipe. The organization reported a total PFAS concentration of 16,000 parts per trillion in the sample, significantly exceeding Maine’s allowable limit of 20 parts per trillion for drinking water.

“It’s heartbreaking,” said a volunteer from Friends of Merrymeeting Bay. “The contamination from the outfall pipe was very high, the highest we’ve ever seen it.”

The foam, which contains PFAS, spilled at Hangar 4 and made its way into the sewer system, reaching the treatment plant within hours. According to Brunswick Sewer District General Manager Robert Pontau, the high amount of solids in the wastewater makes it impossible to filter out the PFAS.

“It’s not possible to treat wastewater because of the amount of solids in it through a filter,” Pontau said. “So that’s really not an option for us at this time.”

The Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) is monitoring the situation and has reported a declining trend in PFAS levels, though preliminary data is yet to be released.

“There will be residual for quite some time where it either sticks to the pipes or sticks to the pump station,” Pontau said.

While the sewer district is working to address the issue, Pontau emphasized the need to address the problem at its source.

“We really need to stop it at the source,” Pontau said. “We need to stop using these products. Get it out of the system altogether.”

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