Residential Well Sampling Program

Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) are a group of synthetic chemicals that are found in many consumer and industrial products and have been in use for more than 60 years. PFAS products have historically been used in manufacturing at the Chambers Works site and Chemours has implemented a sampling program for residential drinking- water wells in the vicinity of the facility (Ongoing Program). When needed, Chemours has provided point-of-entry treatment systems or has connected residences to public water supplies. For additional facts regarding PFAS and perfluorinated compounds visit: https://www.epa.gov/pfas or https://www.nj.gov/health/ceohs/documents/pfas_drinking%20water.pdf

The yellow highlighted boundary in Figure 1 shows the current extent of the Chemours sampling area.  Residents with potential drinking-water wells within this area have been informed of the Ongoing Program and how to schedule water well sampling for PFOA and other per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS).

Results are provided to each well owner, EPA, NJDEP, the Salem County Health Department and municipal clerks. Drinking-water wells with PFAS concentrations above any of the three New Jersey Drinking Water Standards (listed below) are offered treatment from Chemours, including installation of a granular activated carbon (GAC) treatment system or connection to a public water supply (if practicable) or delivery of bottled water for cooking and drinking:

• Perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA) at 14 parts per trillion (ppt)
• Perfluorooctane sulfonic acid (PFOS) at 13 ppt
• Perfluorononanoic acid (PFNA) at 13 ppt.

Figure 1 provides the locations of the individual drinking water wells that were sampled as part of these programs and that have final results. Each well sampled is now identified by a Regulatory Location ID so that no personal private information (such as name and address) is provided here to maintain residential confidentiality. Table 1 provides the results for the samples analyzed for each drinking-water well. shown in Figure 1. Note that there have been changes in the PFAS analyte list over time and currently 18 PFAS are analyzed using EPA Method 537.1.

If a GAC treatment system is installed, Chemours performs quarterly operation, maintenance, and monitoring (OM&M). Reports are generated for each quarter’s activities and a data table providing all results for each residential GAC system are included. The most recent OM&M report issued “Chemours Chambers Works Survey and Sampling Program, Residential GAC System Results...”  can be found here. Because these reports are additive and show all data for each location, each quarter a new report is issued and it will be posted here in place of the previous quarter’s report.

Related Reports

Chemours has submitted three reports that include information related to the Ongoing Program. These reports are described below. Note that tables, figures and appendices of these reports that contain private personal information have been redacted or removed. However, locations of all drinking-water wells sampled and all analytical results for all drinking-water wells can be found in Figure 1 and in Table 1 that are discussed above.

• Conceptual Site Model (CSM) for Poly- and Perfluoroalkyl Substances (PFAS), July 2017.  This report describes the presence and concentrations of PFAS in on-site and off-site environmental media and describes the migration pathway from on-site sources to on-site and off-site environmental media.
• 2016 – 2017 Residential Drinking Water Well Surveying and PFAS Sampling Program Status Update, September 2017. This report summarizes the 2009 Program and the Ongoing 2016 Program implementation, data quality, results, treatment implemented, and data evaluation through August 28, 2017.
• Ongoing 2016 Residential Drinking Water Well Surveying and Per- and Polyfluoroalkyl Substances (PFAS) Sampling Program Status Update, June 2018. This report summarizes the Ongoing 2016 Program implementation, data quality, results, treatment implemented, and the branched and linear PFAS study through May 11, 2018
• Standard Operating Procedures for Ongoing 2016 Residential Drinking Water Well Surveying and PFAS Sampling Program

If your residence is within Chemours current sampling area, as indicated by the yellow highlighted line in Figure 1, you have a drinking-water well and it has not yet been sampled and analyzed for PFAS by Chemours, please call (856)540-4000 to request sampling.