JEFFERSON TOWNSHIP PFAS

Jefferson Township recently closed on a $3.2 million loan from the New Jersey Water Bank to construct a new water treatment facility at the Moosepac Well site in their Milton system. The Township runs two groundwater wells at the site, both of which have been found to contain PFAS chemicals at levels above safety limits set by the DEP and those proposed by the U.S. EPA.

PFAS (per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances) are a group of synthetic chemicals widely used in industrial processes and found in many everyday consumer products, such as non-stick cookware, water-repellent clothing, and firefighting foams. They persist in the environment and accumulate over time, contaminating soil, air, and water. Once in surface water or groundwater, PFAS can infiltrate drinking water sources and pose serious risks to human health.

The new treatment facility will use large tanks filled with a special material called ion exchange resin. This material works like a magnet, attracting and removing harmful chemicals like PFAS from the water as it flows through.