Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the PFAS Testing topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Town officials say multiple Columbia facilities tested positive for PFAS; filtration planned for school
Summary
Town Administrator Mark Walter reported PFAS detections at the library, Town Hall, school and both fire houses. Officials said a filtration shed will be installed at the school and the ZBA approved a zoning variance to allow placement near existing wells.
Town Administrator Mark Walter told the Columbia Zoning Board of Appeals during a July 30 public hearing that recent testing detected PFAS — a class of persistent chemicals — at several municipal buildings. "The library, Town Hall, and School as well as both fire houses all tested positive," Walter said, a fact the board cited when considering the variance request.
Board members and staff described PFAS testing as newly required under a 2027 mandate referenced in the discussion; the town said it proactively tested earlier than required. Town staff told the board that all local wells tested in the immediate area showed PFAS presence, complicating prospects for siting a new well. The board accepted the reported results as part of the hardship justification for a nearby filtration system the town seeks to install before students return to school in September.
The board did not adjudicate the PFAS testing data itself; the record contains staff assertions about positive tests and logistical constraints. The ZBA approved the variance to site the filtration shed with conditions and directed the town to complete EHHD review and other required administrative steps before construction.
