Contaminated Water at Air Base Likely to Hold Up Land Transfer to HLRA

The discovery of contaminants in the drinking water at wells near the former Willow Grove air base will likely delay the transfer of land to the Horsham Land Redevelopment Authority.

The Intelligencer reports that the contaminated drinking water will likely hold up the transfer of 600 acres to the HLRA by as long as a year. Initially, the group had expected to obtain the land by the end of 2014, but a transfer in late 2015 or even 2016 is looking more likely, the report said.

The issue was discussed at a HLRA meeting Wednesday.

In August, the Horsham Water and Sewer Authority announced it had taken two wells out of service due to elevated levels of perfluorinated compounds (PFOS), which are or were once used in a variety of products, such as fire-fighting foam, stain and water repellants, paper products, the lining of microwave popcorn bags, floor wax and non-stick cookware. In laboratory animals, PFOS can cause developmental, reproductive and other adverse effects, the Horsham Water and Sewer Authority said in a statement posted to the township’s website.

The HLRA has been working for years to obtain and redevelop the former base, which was placed on a closure list in 2005.