BLOG: Ohio Groundwater Guardians Recognized

by Jennifer Wemhoff, Groundwater Foundation

The National Ground Water Association hosted a conference this week in Westerville, Ohio focused on the hot topic of PFAS contamination (PFAS Management, Mitigation, and Remediation Conference).

Several Groundwater Guardians located in Ohio were in attendance, and received special recognition. NGWA CEO Terry S. Morse, CIC and Board President Scott King, PG, P.Geo., LHG thanked the teams for their continued work and passion in groundwater education and protection efforts in their communities.

NGWA Board President Scott King, PG, P.Geo., LHG talks about the Groundwater Guardian program.

From left: Scott King; Mike Ekberg, Miami Conservancy District; Claudia Dawson, Hamilton to New Baltimore Groundwater Consortium; Jim Shoemaker, Dayton Multi-Jurisdictional Source Water Protection Program; Karen Beason, Wright-Patterson Air Force Base; NGWA CEO Terry Morse; Tim McLelland, Hamilton to New Baltimore Groundwater Consortium

Mike Ekberg, Miami Conservancy District with Scott King

Claudia Dawson and Tim McLelland, Hamilton to New Baltimore Groundwater Consortium with Scott King

Jim Shoemaker, Dayton Multi-Jurisdictional Source Water Protection Program with Scott King

Karen Beason, Wright-Patterson Air Force Base with Scott King

You can get involved as a Groundwater Guardian too! Find out more.

BLOG: Groundwater Fly-In

If you don't speak up for groundwater, who will?

Let your voice be heard and take advantage of the opportunity to talk with elected officials in Washington about groundwater issues at the 2019 NGWA Groundwater Fly-In and Water Resources Congressional Summit March 5-6, 2019.

Working together with the Irrigation Association and the Water Quality Association, the Fly-In will increase the water industry's profile on Capitol Hill regarding the availability, quality, and safety of our nation's water resources. It will help make members of Congress aware of the important role groundwater plays in providing drinking water, supporting agriculture, and fueling various sectors of the economy.

The current government shutdown shouldn't have an impact on the Fly-In, as Congress is still in session each week so meetings with congressional delegations will go on as scheduled. If the shutdown remains ongoing or begins again, the agenda for the policy briefing could be affected as officials from the administration are invited.

This year's groundwater focus topics include:

• Obtaining federal support for the detection and remediation of PFAS contamination
• Increasing efforts to promote groundwater recharge
• Bolstering support for drinking water infrastructure improvement.

The Fly-In will open on March 5 with a keynote luncheon, followed by congressional and policy speakers, an NGWA policy briefing, and a reception. On March 6, the day will start with an informal breakfast, then meetings on Capitol Hill throughout the day (the schedule for meetings will vary based on congressional availability), closing with an optional happy hour with Fly-In participants.

Make sure your voice is heard - register today!

BLOG: What are PFAS?

by Jennifer Wemhoff, The Groundwater Foundation

PFAS: You've seen them in the news, on social media, and all around the water world as of late. So let's dig in and try to understand this emerging groundwater contaminant.

What are they?
According to the National Ground Water Association, PFAS refers to per- and poly-fluoralkyl substances. In layman's terms, they're a group of man-made chemicals that have been around since the 1940s, but recently have been discovered in water supplies. They're used in many ways - in firefighting, stain resistance, water repellants, and other industrial uses.

There are literally thousands of chemicals in the PFAS family. These chemicals were extensively manufactured, but were phased out in the early 2000s in the U.S. and Europe. Current manufacturing processes minimize potential adverse effects.

Source: EPA

Why are they in the environment?
PFAS are durable and have a long half-life, which means they can accumulate in the environment and in our bodies. Even though they are no longer manufactured in the U.S., items that may contain these chemicals are still imported. They may also still be present in landfills that have been receiving waste since the 1950s and in facilities that use aqueous film forming foams (AFFF). AFFF are used to fight fires and basically act as a blanket to coat and suppress the fire.

Source: EPA

Why are they a problem?
Since PFAS have been in widespread use, most Americans have had some exposure to them, through water, food, inhalation, using products that contain PFAS, or working in manufacturing facilities that use these chemicals.

Because there are thousands of chemicals classified as PFAS, the health impacts are still unclear. However, studies of some of these chemicals have found associations between PFAS exposure and health problems such as liver and kidney damage, increased cholesterol levels, pregnancy-induced hypertension, certain types of cancer, decreased response to vaccines, and increased risks of thyroid disease, fertility issues, and asthma.

What's being done?
If you have a private well and are concerned about PFAS contamination, you'll need to use specific testing labs that have this testing capability. Find out more.

Earlier this year, the U.S. EPA started the process to evaluate a maximum contaminant level (MCL) for PFAS chemicals in public drinking water supplies. The agency is also looking at cleanup recommendations and working with partners to address PFAS. EPA is currently holding public meetings across the U.S. to talk about how it's addressing PFAS contamination.

How can I find out more?
The National Ground Water Association (www.ngwa.org) has developed a variety of resources to help understand PFAS and what they mean for you. Find their PFAS Resource Center at www.ngwa.org/pfas. You can also find information from EPA at www.epa.gov/pfas.

Information in this blog was adapted from NGWA's PFAS FAQ document.