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How homeowners in Lambertville can get POET filters and file spill‑fund claims for PFAS contamination
Summary
NJDEP and the Environmental Claims Administration explained steps for homeowners with PFAS‑impacted private wells: sample with a certified lab, submit required lab deliverables and ownership proof, obtain competitive bids for POET installation or public‑water hookup, and file a spill‑fund damage claim within one year of discovery.
At a webinar for Lambertville and West Amwell residents, Bill Shrier, section chief of NJDEP’s Fund Management Section, explained how the state’s Spill Compensation Fund assists homeowners whose private wells are contaminated with PFAS.
Shrier said claimants must submit laboratory results from an NJ‑certified lab and provide proof of property ownership, plus three competitive estimates for either a point‑of‑entry treatment (POET) system or for hooking up to public water if that is feasible. The Environmental Claims Administration (ECA) will review submittals for completeness and eligibility; if a claim is eligible, the ECA issues an offer that specifies which costs the fund will cover.
He described two confirmation sampling approaches: (1) a single sample submitted with full laboratory data deliverables, which will be reimbursed in full but can lengthen ECA review time while data are quality‑checked; or (2) an initial and a confirmation PFAS sample collected by the laboratory, which typically speeds processing but reimburses only the confirmation sample cost. The ECA prioritizes claims in this order: homeowner potable water damages, restoration at schools and child‑care facilities, then other categories.
Shrier explained a typical POET system consists of pre‑treatment sediment filters and two granular activated carbon tanks (lead/lag) that remove regulated PFAS compounds; after installation the ECA covers maintenance and required sampling while the homeowner owns the property. He said maintenance eligibility ends when the property is sold. For faster assistance, NJDEP staff advised homeowners in the investigation radius to allow D‑funded sampling access when contacted and to use certified labs listed on the department website.
