New Jersey has scheduled a meeting for homeowners with private wells to address concerns about toxic chemicals in North Haledon's drinking water.
The pollutants include two types of per- and poly-fluoroalkyl substances (PFAS), reported North Jersey News, perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA) and perfluorooctanesulfonic acid (PFOS).
The pollution was discovered during a test on Tamboer Drive in July and officials urge all residents with wells to get their water tested. PFAS are also turning up in other water supplies.
The Zoom meeting will be hosted by the state Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) on Jan. 31 at 7 p.m.
The full extent of contamination is unknown, according to Mayor Randy George, reported North Jersey News. Most water well tests have come back as positive.
According to North Jersey News, half of the borough draws water from wells and the rest connects to the Manchester Utilities Authority in Haledon. The Hawthorne water department and Ridgewood Water Co., serves four municipalities in Bergen County and have also notified their customers of contamination.
In North Haledon, individual well users are dealing with the situation on their own. These well users are spending over hundreds of dollars for tests and waiting for filtration systems to be installed.
"That means it's not going away," said George. "I know people don't want the filter. They want their wells clean, but it's not going to happen."
According to the mayor, the DEP is handling the situation, reported North Jersey News.
The DEP recommends that well owners read the Q&A about NJ's adoption of Maximum Contaminant Levels for PFOA and PFOS and the NJ Department of Health Factsheet on PFAS in Drinking Water.
