PFAS investigation heads east

0
The Martha's Vineyard Airport is expanding its investigation to the east after detecting contamination on Coffins Field Road. - Google Maps

An investigation into well contamination in a neighborhood across from Martha’s Vineyard Airport is widening to the east after some elevated levels of per- or polyfluoroalkyl substance (PFAS) were found in private wells on Coffins Field Road in Edgartown, according to the engineer leading the investigation for the airport.

“We’re expanding our investigation easterly as a result of this,” Ron Myrick, the engineer with Tetra Tech, told The Times.

On Monday, 22 results were received, with only one above the 70 parts per trillion (ppt) that is the health advisory provided by the Massachusetts Department of Environmental Protection (MassDEP). That result was 848 ppt, and the address is located in the vicinity of other elevated results that have come in near Edgartown–West Tisbury Road, Myrick said.

More than half of the samples came back non-detect, which means they had less than 2 ppt of the contaminant in the water, Myrick said.

On Coffins Field Road, there was one sample that was close to the 70 ppt, and two others that had levels below 70 ppt, but enough that Myrick said it calls for more investigation. Previous testing had been concentrated to about 100 addresses south of the airport in West Tisbury.

Any address above 70 ppt, or even close to that number, is receiving bottled water, Myrick said.

More results are expected on Friday from earlier water samples. Meanwhile, more sampling will be done on Wednesday and Thursday as the investigation continues.