Advisory Issued After PFAS 'Forever Chemicals' Found In Pond, Streams

MONTGOMERY COUNTY, MD — Residents are being urged to stay away from certain areas in the county after officials detected heightened levels of a group of chemicals known as PFAS.

While the county's drinking water is safe to consume, testing determined that elevated PFAS levels were traced to a stormwater pond and nearby streams in the Gaithersburg and Rockville areas, from along Great Seneca Highway to just past Key West Avenue.

PFAS, short for perfluoroalkyl and polyfluoroalkyl substances, are described as "forever chemicals" since they do not naturally degrade.

It's a substance that was used for a wide variety of products to ensure they did not corrode; however, it was later linked to an increased risk of certain cancers when exposed to over a long period of time.

"People and their pets should avoid contact with the water and refrain from fishing in the water contact advisory areas," reads a release issued by the county. "The locations of the highest sampling results are adjacent to and on the site of the former Montgomery County Public Safety Training Academy."

Jennifer Macedonia, the director of the Montgomery County Department of Environmental Protection, said during a Monday briefing that it's believed the PFAS contamination was caused by chemicals that had been intentionally added to firefighting foam used at the training facility.

"This PFAS-containing foam was previously used on the former training academy site from the 1970s through 2017," said Macedonia, adding that the PFAS-containing foam has since been banned.

Water tests were carried out by officials after the WSSC Water utility discovered PFAS traces in samples from the Muddy Branch Watershed.

Private well owners are urged to carry out annual water tests done at least once a year to ensure their drinking water is safe and does not have heightened PFAS levels.

Additional tests are being carried out to determine whether the PFAS contamination has spread to other waterways.

The county will be hosting a public community meeting on Wednesday from 7 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. to answer questions from concerned residents. The meeting will be held in the cafeteria of the DuFief Elementary School at 15001 DuFief Drive in North Potomac.