Protesters Rally In Huntingdon Valley, Demand Navy Pay For Blood Tests

Around 50 people gathered at the Navy recruitment office at the Huntingdon Valley Shopping Center on Sunday to demand the government pay for blood tests to determine PFC contamination.

Demonstrators reportedly held signs reading “Clean Safe Water is our Constitutional Right" in an attempt to raise public awareness over the issue and protest the health crisis that has emerged from the contamination of the local drinking water supply.

According to The Intelligencer,some local residents have levels of PFC in their blood that are 15 times higher than they should be.

The event was organized by the Bucks-Mont People for Clean Water activist group and leader Jacqui Weitz, and was formally called the "Rally for Free Water and Free Blood Level Testing."

Organizers said that it was a "great success," especially given how hot it was on Sunday, with temperatures soaring into the mid-90's. The rally took place during the hottest part of the day, from 1:30 p.m. to 3 p.m.

On the Ivyland-Warminster Toxic Contamination Facebook group, demonstrators reinforced the importance of all affected citizens coming out to protests like the one on Sunday. Activists said that if even a small fraction, a tenth of all local citizens, participated in protests, officials would be forced into more significant action.

In addition to local citizens, Congressman Mike Fitzpatrick attended the rally, his office stated. The Warminster Township Environmental Advisory Council and Buckingham Environmental Advisory Council also had members in attendance, according to organizers.

Governor Wolf has previously called on the military to fund blood tests for nearly 70,000 residents in the region.

After the EPA issued new guidelines last month for PFOA and PFOS – synthetic materials used in firefighting at airfields, among other uses – several Pennsylvania communities showed elevated levels of the chemicals, including Horsham, Warrington and Warminster. Residents and local lawmakers have pressured the federal government to take more significant action on the issue ever since.