High levels of 'forever chemicals' found in wells of 9 Hazelbrook homes

Connor Lamont · CBC News

· Posted: Apr 23, 2025 5:00 AM EDT | Last Updated: 11 minutes ago

The provincial authorities is supplying 9 households successful Hazelbrook, P.E.I., with bottled h2o aft the wells belonging to them tested importantly supra interim Health Canada benchmarks for a people of chemicals known arsenic PFAS.

Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances oregon PFAS are man-made chemicals utilized for their water- and heat-resistant properties.

The alleged "forever chemicals" are wide utilized successful mundane products such arsenic packaging and cosmetics, arsenic good as in concern products like firefighting foam, furnishings and operation materials.  

Health Canada has acceptable a benchmark of 30 nanograms per litre for 25 specific PFAS in drinking water, arsenic a precautionary measurement aimed astatine showing what a harmless level of hazard to wellness mightiness look like.  

But aggregate wells astir Hazelbrook in cardinal P.E.I. showed PFAS levels successful the hundreds, including 2 that tested at implicit 700 nanograms per litre.

For the past six months, Hazelbrook nonmigratory Donnie Gallant has been drinking retired of h2o jugs the state has provided him, saying: "It's a precaution close now."  

Gallant said his h2o has been tested aggregate times and helium believes it's safe, but there's nary timeline for erstwhile helium volition beryllium capable to portion from the pat again.

"I don't truly know. They were expected to enactment a antithetic strategy in. I don't cognize erstwhile and I don't cognize however agelong it's expected to be."

Gallant said workers who tested his h2o told him it's imaginable an abandoned dump adjacent is to blame. A construction and demolition site successful the assemblage was decommissioned implicit a decennary agone and the spot is present owned by the province. 

Groundwater samples taken astir the site show PFAS levels measuring implicit 2,000 nanograms per litre. 

'It benignant of makes maine nervous'

Simon Micklethwaite has besides heard from workers that the decommissioned tract mightiness beryllium down the contaminated h2o successful his community. His good has been tested aggregate times, but he's been told it's inactive good to portion from the tap. 

"Whether it's harmless oregon not, I've been drinking it for 10 years, truthful what quality is it going to marque now?" helium said.

But Micklethwaite does want more answers.

"I've got a batch of aesculapian issues myself, and whether oregon not immoderate of this is from the water, I person nary idea — but it benignant of makes maine nervous," helium said.

In its State of PFAS report, the national authorities says vulnerability to the chemicals tin impact aggregate aspects of health, including successful the liver, kidneys, immune system, reproductive system and tense system. 

Effects connected astir of those systems person been observed successful some carnal and quality studies.

Last month, Ottawa said it volition not prohibition immoderate caller PFAS, but intends to commencement a process to restrict them successful the future. The national authorities has opened a consultation play that's required earlier it tin add PFAS to the nationalist toxic substances list.

Hazelbrook is not alone

Hazelbrook isn't the lone country connected P.E.I. with elevated levels of PFAS. Data from a Drinking Water Dashboard with accusation connected PFAS created by the state shows aggregate areas with tests showing levels supra the Health Canada benchmark. Introductory substance connected the tract is dated April 9, 2025. 

In occidental P.E.I., the state says h2o filters person been provided to residents of Slemon Park, a erstwhile airfield wherever investigating showed levels of PFAS arsenic precocious arsenic 75 nanograms per litre. The state says regular investigating astatine the community's 3 wells amusement the filters are removing PFAS from the water.

Engineers are looking astatine imaginable semipermanent solutions that see gathering caller wells oregon connecting Slemon Park buildings to Summerside's h2o system. 

The state has besides enactment attraction systems successful spot astatine Ellerslie Elementary School and Vernon River Consolidated School to dainty PFAS. Both schools are present investigating astatine levels beneath the Health Canada objective.

The website besides includes the results of groundwater samples taken at other progressive and erstwhile landfill sites. PFAS levels at the East Prince Waste Management Facility, erstwhile Queen's County Regional Landfill and erstwhile King's County Regional Landfill are importantly supra Health Canada's objective.

Provincial assessing attraction options

As for Hazelbrook, the state says Environment Department unit have collected respective h2o samples successful the assemblage and volition bash much connected an "as needed" basis.

"Department unit person met with the section assemblage assembly and each impacted residents regarding the issue," a spokesperson said successful an e-mailed statement. "The section is presently assessing semipermanent h2o attraction options for the area."

The Rural Municipality of Hazelbrook's politician and councillors declined to remark connected the issue.

P.E.I.'s Chief Public Health Office said successful a connection that Health Canada is moving connected aboriginal guidelines for PFAS, and that it's champion to support PFAS levels successful drinking h2o to tiny amounts. 

The connection besides said Health Canada approves showering, washing dishes oregon doing laundry with h2o that contains PFAS.