Airport fire foam pollution has reached the reservoir
Saturday 12th September 2009, 2:30PM BST.
A STREAM that runs from the airport to St Saviour’s Reservoir has been contaminated by a dangerous chemical, it has emerged.
Private wells and boreholes in the surrounding area were also polluted by perfluorooctane sulphonate – PFOS – after three incidents at the airport in which poisonous foam concentrate was spilled and soaked into the soil.
However, States experts reassured islanders yesterday that the island’s supply was perfectly safe and still among the ‘highest water standards anywhere in the world’.
Guernsey Water’s director of water services Andrew Redhead and director of public health Stephen Bridgman went as far as to say they had no reservations about letting their families drink local water.
‘Absolutely,’ Mr Redhead said. ‘The drinking water is safe and I need to reassure islanders about that.’
Dr Bridgman added: ‘I have looked at the evidence myself and had reassurances from the Health Protection Agency that confirmed the view I have taken that there is no risk to drinking water locally.’
The soil pollution was caused by incidents at the airfield in recent years including a major spillage caused by an Airport Fire and Rescue Service appliance overturning in 2002.
Public Services confirmed yesterday that it had instructed the Law Officers to assess whether the foam supplier can be held liable – Jersey accepted a £2.6m. payoff in 2005 from the manufacturer of a foam it used that also contained PFOS.
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If Jersey managed to get a payoff in 2005 why has Guernsey taken so long to assess it’s situation?
If some fool puts a dangerous chemical into a preparation that by it’s very nature is designed to be sprayed liberally over a fairly wide area he probably should be held accountable for the damage.
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Excellent point Mr White.
I presume any damages will be reduced by the failure of the States to mitigate their loss.
Never mind the taxpayer can pay the difference.
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Mr White makes a good point, whether the foam is used in a fire or just spilt, the dangerous chemical within it will get into the water table.
Why wasn’t a non-toxic ingredient used ?
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Is’nt it always the same answer in these cases.Whether its a radioactive leak,a huge fire of dangerous chemicals,sewage in the sea,poison in the water or air,its always the same from the authorities,”no danger to the public”.After all,they can hardly say “you’ll probably die in 10 years from radiation”or the results of other causes in so and so many years!
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Why didn’t the Guernsey Water authorities write an indemnity clause for damage from the toxic fluoride chemical used in the foam?
They have done that for fluoride poisoning from one end of Australia to another.
Ever since nobody hurt by the toxic fluoride waste added to public water for tooth decay has been able to claim a cent for the injuries suffered.
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Followers of the airport fire appliance incident will also have noted that no one was ever held responsible for the overturning incident which seems to have been caused by overenthusiastic training “exercises”. I guess the airport firemen were able to flex their muscle on that occasion to avoid retribution just as they have in recent pay disputes.
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Someone needs to lose their job.
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The fire truck didn’t overturn on the grass did it? So exactly where is the soil pollution coming from? Which streams are affected there are three to the reservoir I thought? Come on press ask some decent questions stop acting like a States PR Company, the Publics Health is at stake here.
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