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Residents press council on landfill leachate, PFAS testing and city oversight
Summary
Multiple residents urged council to verify testing and treatment of landfill leachate before the city accepts it into its system; speakers asked whether PFAS and other contaminants are being tested, whether mandated treatment (hydrogen peroxide) is used, and whether the city could be liable for pollution.
Several residents raised detailed questions about landfill leachate, testing for ‘forever chemicals’ and heavy metals, and whether the city’s acceptance of leachate could expose Fostoria to legal or environmental risk.
Joy Walters read a list of citizen questions that asked whether the mayor had authorized additional discharge to the Portage, whether testing will include PFAS and all heavy metals, whether mandated treatment (hydrogen peroxide) is being applied before disposal, and whether the city could face litigation if unlawful pollution occurs. Walters also referenced prior remarks by then‑Mayor Eric Hechler in 2020 that the city could not safely process that type of leachate and asked what has changed.
Walters said she had discussed the situation with Harold Huffman, a landfill inspector employed by the Seneca County General Health District, and reported conflicting statements about whether the cleanup was complete. She also asked whether accepting leachate is being proposed as a way to offset rate increases or to help customers replace lead service lines.
Other speakers urged council to ensure the city is complying with federal EPA requirements and to seek clarity from state and county regulators. Jill Filator said she had been in contact with BG EPA and had been directed to state contacts in Columbus to confirm the full scope of testing and treatment required.
The council did not take formal action on the topic during the meeting. No staff presentation or council response resolving the technical or regulatory questions appears in the meeting record; residents asked for clarification and for the city to confirm the testing and treatment regimen and legal exposures before any agreement to accept leachate.
Ending: Residents requested explicit testing plans (including PFAS), confirmation of mandated treatment practices, and clear statements on who bears liability if contaminants enter the Portage. Council will need to respond in a future meeting or through staff follow‑up to address those outstanding questions.
