January 29, 2021
The Connecticut Department of Public Health (DPH) and the Connecticut Department of Energy and Environmental Protection (DEEP) have rescinded the Lower Farmington River fish consumption advisory due to PFAS contamination in December 2020. With the fish consumption advisory lifted, this now allows individuals to consume their catch as they would prior to the PFAS incidents.
February 4, 2020
The Connecticut Department of Public Health (DPH) today is updating the consumption advisory for fish caught in the Farmington River that has been in place since June 2019 in response to a June 2019 spill of approximately 40,000 gallons of fire-suppressing Aqueous Film Forming Foam (AFFF) into the river from the Signature Flight Hangar at Bradley International Airport.
October 30, 2019
During the 10/30/19 Community Informational meeting regarding the PFAS chemical release, the attached presentation was given by the Department of Energy & Environmental Protection.
October 23, 2019 – Notice: Community Information Meeting Regarding PFAS Chemical Release
The Connecticut Department of Energy and Environmental Protection (DEEP) and the Connecticut Department of Public Health are holding a second community information meeting regarding the PFAS chemical release into the lower Farmington River.
The meeting will be on Wednesday, October 30, 2019, 7:00 PM at the Windsor Town Hall.
At this meeting the state agencies will provide information on surface water testing, testing of fish tissue and upcoming soil, well and sediment testing. There also will be information provided on DEEP’s response and clean-up activities related to the tragic crash at Bradley earlier this month.
October 17, 2019 – update from CT Department of Energy and Environmental Protection
Signature Farmington River DEEP Public Info Update-2019-10-17
August 7, 2019 – Update
Town staff continues to remain in contact with state agencies regarding the June chemical release. At this time, the state is awaiting test results from fish tissue, surface water and the waste water treatment plant. It is expected results from the fish tissue sample will be received in September and the other results later in August.
The consultant for Signature Flight is slated to submit plans to the CT Department of Energy and Environmental Protection (DEEP) for an ecological assessment along the river as well as soil testing along a section of Rainbow Road where foam was extruded from manholes onto the roadside. The plans will be reviewed and improved by DEEP.
Work by the consulting engineer to identify and select a sampling of private wells to be tested is ongoing. The sample size will be determined by several factors such as well depth and type of construction. Town staff reviewed records for various properties as part of this process. The State Department of Public Health and DEEP will review proposed testing plans.
As the town receives test results and additional updates from state agencies, information will be posted on the website.
July 12, 2019 – update from CT Department of Energy and Environmental Protection
Signature Farmington River DEEP Public Info Update-2019-07-12
July 3, 2019 – Update
Below are materials that were presented during the public information meeting held on July 2, 2019 at town hall.
VIDEO – July 2, 2019 Public Forum on PFAS Chemical spill in Farmington River – NEW
Agenda for July 2, 2019 Public Forum on the PFAS Chemical Spill in the Farmington River
Introductory presentation by Windsor Climate Action’s member Eric Weiner
Connecticut Department of Energy and Environmental Protection presentation
Test results summary from Environmental Services, Inc.
The Town of Windsor has been working with the Connecticut Department of Energy and Environmental Protection (DEEP) and the Connecticut Department of Public Health (DPH) in response to a discharge of firefighting foam from a private enterprise into the Farmington River earlier in June.
- Use of the river for recreational activities is allowed.
- State DPH is advising that fish caught from the Farmington River in the vicinity of the MDC wastewater treatment plant outfall near Phelps Brook, downstream to the Connecticut River, should NOT be eaten. This advisory will remain in place while officials evaluate the impact to the fish tissue and the watershed and is likely to last through much of the summer.
- Additional long-term monitoring of the river and sediments is planned with oversight by the Connecticut DEEP.
Updates will be shared on town media platforms as additional information becomes available. For more information about the chemicals involved, known as PFAS, visit:
EPA.gov/pfas or https://www.atsdr.cdc.gov/pfas/
CT DPH’s PFAS webpage: https://portal.ct.gov/DPH/Drinking-Water/DWS/Per–and-Polyfluoroalkyl-Substances
CT DEEP’s Emerging Contaminants webpage: https://www.ct.gov/deep/cwp/view.asp?a=2715&q=581988&deepNav_GID=1626
How can I stay informed?
As the town receives more news, we will update this web page and post announcements on our social media platforms. You can like or follow the town on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram. You can learn more about the PFAS chemicals at EPA.gov/pfas, https://www.atsdr.cdc.gov/pfas/ or on the CT Department of Public Health’s website.
Frequently Asked Questions
On June 8th, an equipment malfunction at a private hangar at Bradley International Airport resulted in a discharge of firefighting foam into a drain connected to the municipal sewer system, ultimately leading to the MDC wastewater treatment plant in Windsor and discharging into the Farmington River. This foam contains per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances, commonly referred to as “PFAS.” PFAS may increase your risk of developing a variety of health effects. These include effects on growth and development (fetus, infant and children), on the immune and endocrine systems, and the thyroid, liver, and kidneys (everyone). Some studies have also shown a cancer risk at very high exposure levels (kidney, testicular). In the weeks since, the responsible company, Signature Flight, has hired an environmental engineering firm to help with the clean-up process and is cooperating and working closely with the Connecticut Airport Authority (CAA) and the state Department of Energy & Environmental Protection (DEEP) to gain a larger understanding of the situation, to remove as much foam from the river as possible, and to begin greater efforts to understand what the long-term impacts may be to the ecosystem.
Sampling of water and fish species is expected to take place during the week of July 1st, with additional environmental sampling expected to continue over the summer into the fall. State agencies and others are moving as quickly as they can, but it will take time to ensure that a scientifically acceptable set of protocols are developed and implemented as testing continues. More information will be announced by state agencies once this testing has been completed.
Recreational activities, including boating, tubing, and swimming are allowed on the river. State agencies have advised that fish caught from the Farmington River in the vicinity of the MDC wastewater treatment plant outfall near Phelps Brook, downstream to where it enters the Connecticut River, should not be eaten. This advisory will remain in place until officials have an opportunity to evaluate laboratory data on the fish tissue samples.
Over the past few weeks, there has been an effort to remove all of the foam visibly floating on the surface of the river. Water samples were taken from several points on the river on June 9th, 11th and June 21st in an attempt to see how the chemicals are diffusing. Results from the first two sets of samples show a significant reduction in presence of PFAS chemicals. Results from the June 21st samples are not yet available. The engineering firm retained by Signature Flight is now working alongside DEEP to develop a longer term monitoring and testing plan. As of June 28th, information is not yet available for the DEEP to conclude whether or not remediation will be necessary on any part of the river.
The Connecticut Airport Authority has also taken a variety of steps in the past weeks ranging from evaluating all of their facilities that have foam fire suppression systems to putting in place temporary prevention measures to limit any future discharges of foam agents containing PFAS chemicals into drainage systems.