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Water superintendent: St. Armand likely to exceed new PFOA standard; testing underway
Summary
Water Superintendent Jonathan Neilson told the Town Board the town is scheduled for two samples this year to identify the best well, but projected testing indicates the town may exceed the 2029 PFOA maximum contaminant level of 4 parts per trillion (ppt), potentially leading to an MCL violation.
Jonathan Neilson, the Town of St. Armand water superintendent, told the board that scheduled sampling this year is intended to determine which well has the lowest PFOA level but that projections indicate the town is likely to exceed the 2029 PFOA maximum contaminant level (MCL) of 4 parts per trillion (ppt) if not treated.
"Regardless of the outcome of this testing, in 2029 we are likely going to be over the PPT requirements and we’ll have a MCL violation," Neilson said. He told the board the town is scheduled for two samples this year aimed at pinpointing which well shows the least PFOA contamination; the transcript did not identify which specific wells would be sampled.
Supervisor Davina Thurston framed the technical concern in policy terms, noting that current PFOA requirements are 10 ppt and that the anticipated 2029 standard would lower the limit to 4 ppt, increasing the likelihood of a regulatory exceedance. The board responded by authorizing publication of an RFQ to hire engineering services to design and construct treatment so the town can pursue a BIL-EC grant to pay for project construction.
The board will consider engineer proposals at its March 18, 2025 meeting and aims to have a listing form and engineering report ready for submission by May 30, 2025. The transcript does not specify which treatment technologies are under consideration or the costs of engineering work; those details will depend on the engineer the town selects.
