MANCHESTER –The township has entered into an access agreement with the Joint Base McGuire-Dix Lakehurst that involves a road opening permit and water testing.
Business Administrator Brandon Umba explained to the members of the Township Council and the public during a recent Council meeting that the matter also involves “ground water testing within the township. The Joint Base was previously used as a training facility for extinguishing fires with fire firefighting foam.”
He noted material within that foam “was a chemical known as PFAS and the base is completing a routine testing of the groundwater to ensure that it is free of PFAS. We have discussed with our director of public works who oversees the water and sewer department and the township has confirmed that all the water in Manchester Township is safe. There is no current threat to our water source to our residents.”
“Even if the base does find PFAS in the groundwater we have the ability to draw from deeper wells and a deeper aquifer so as not to impact our water supply. The water supply is constantly monitored as is required by New Jersey state law. The monitoring has shown and continues to show safe drinking water within the township,” Umba said.
According to the United States Environmental Protection Agency, firefighting foams are most commonly known as Aqueous Film- Foaming Foam (AFFF) or Class B foam. Firefighting foam contains numerous toxic chemicals known as “forever chemicals” which do not break down quickly and stay around for a long time.
They are linked to a variety of chronic and debilitating illnesses and conditions, especially cancers. PFAS was added to firefighting foam in 1979 and was widely used by civilian airports and fire departments.
The agreement requires the Joint Base to share the results of their testing with the township and “if at any point there comes a time where there is a threat to the township water supply, we would be notified immediately,” the administrator added.
Umba said, “if anyone sees the work being done, we want people to understand this is being performed within the township and there are no threats to our residents or our township water supply.”
Responding to a question by resident Karen Argenti about the location, Umba said there were actually six locations where the testing will be done and the active site was in Lakehurst.
He added the Joint Base was working with the State Department of Environmental Protection “to identify certain areas in the township to test where potentially where the chemical may have gone.”
A map will be available to residentsonce the arrangement is finalized, he said.
He clarified that “technically, it is not a road that is opening. Anytime you are opening either a township road for a water or sewer main, either side of the road is considered a road. These areas will either be on the sides of it or potentially paper streets that are listed as roadways.”
Argenti asked about the specifics of the chemical’s discharge but the business administrator couldn’t answer her questions. “If you have a question for the base as to how their operation would go. I can only speak to the fact that I am also a fireman and this chemical is used to extinguish a fire that is not easily contained.”
