Three Hancock County schools in Maine that were found to have high levels of per-and poly-fluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) are expecting new filtration systems in place.
Mount Desert Island High School, Brooklin Elementary School and Deer Isle-Stonington High School have some of Maine’s highest levels of PFAS in ongoing tests of Maine’s schools and other public water systems, reported Bangor Daily News.
Maine requires remediation if PFAS levels are above 20 ppt. Tests at the three schools from the spring found PFAS levels up to 85 ppt at Mount Desert Island High School, 106.6 ppt in Brooklin and 122.8 ppt at Deer Isle-Stonington, reported Bangor Daily News.
In preparation for the upcoming school year, these districts are installing new filter systems to ensure safe drinking water, but have bottled water as a backup plan.
According to Bangor Daily News, Mount Desert Island High School is expecting to install a filtration system for PFAS this week, which could be ready to go when school starts on Aug. 30 upon completion of successful retesting.
Brooklin and Deer Isle-Stonington have received funding to pay for systems and are working on installation of SU76 filters as well, which will likely be ready after the first day of school on Aug. 29, according to superintendent Dan Ross, reported Bangor Daily News.
“We’re waiting on engineer quotes at this point,” Ross said, reported Bangor Daily News. “I’m not sure if it will be in place by then. If not, we will be opening with bottled water.”
"There could also be an overlap where students and staff won’t be able to use the school’s water while the system is tested again for PFAS," according to MDI Superintendent Michael Zboray, reported Bangor Daily News.
A 2021 law requires all public water systems, schools and other facilities to be tested for PFAS.
According to Zboray, MDI wants to test bodies of water around the school, including a nearby stream and swamp and a separate school irrigation well to understand the source and extent of the contamination, reported Bangor Daily News.
