Satellite Beach finds cancer-causing chemicals in groundwater Cancer mystery started after 20 cases popped up among Satellite High grads.

Jim Waymer | Florida Today

Show Caption Hide Caption Satellite Beach groundwater tests turn up cancer-causing chemicals Satellite Beach groundwater tests showed 3 drilled wells had fluorinated compounds associated with firefighting foams & Teflon. Levels were lower than EPA currently says are safe in drinking water

SATELLITE BEACH — Tests for cancer-causing chemicals already found at high concentrations underground at Patrick Air Force Base turned up — but at lower levels — in all three wells the city recently sampled after residents had raised cancer concerns, city officials said Wednesday.

The presence of the compounds at three random wells is a matter of concern for officials and residents alike, and has the city discussing what comes next and where else to look.

"It's unfortunate that it's there," City Manager Courtney Barker said of the chemicals associated with fire extinguishing foams, Teflon and other consumer products.

The chemicals, perfluorooctane sulfonate (PFOS) and perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA), are unregulated. But science is finding that even at low exposures, these compounds are implicated in some types of cancer, thyroid defects, immune suppression and pregnancy complications, according to several scientific studies in recent years.

More: Cancer mystery: 20 cases pop up among Satellite High grads within years of each other

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The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency has yet to set a regulatory limit for the compounds. But in 2016, the agency published a voluntary health advisory for them, warning that exposure to the chemicals at levels above 70 parts per trillion, total, could be dangerous. One part per trillion is roughly the equivalent of a single grain of sand in an Olympic-sized swimming pool.

Wells tested in Satellite Beach Three shallow wells were dug in Satellite Beach on Tuesday and on Wednesday samples were taken from the wells to be tested.

Other studies, however, show the chemicals endanger human health at a far lower level than the EPA has previously called safe. Some states set guidelines for the compounds at lower than the EPA recommendation. Minnesota, for example, set drinking and groundwater levels at 35 parts per trillion for PFOA and 27 parts per trillion for PFOS.

Read the toxicological profile: Perfluoroalkyls

Water testing at barrier island schools Technicians from Universal Engineering Sciences tested the tap water at barrier island schools on Wednesday.

Satellite Beach does not have any guidelines and does not use ground water for drinking. The municipality gets its potable supplies piped in from the city of Melbourne, which uses water sources from mainland wells and Lake Washington. But sprinkler systems used to irrigate yards and parks are drawn from groundwater, which the recent tests bring under suspicion.

Satellite Beach's recent groundwater tests at wells that ranged from 10 to 20 feet deep were as follows:

41.5 parts per trillion in a well right outside City Hall;

22.85 parts per trillion in a well at Jackson Avenue near Satellite High School and;

30.13 parts per trillion in well at South Patrick Community Park, near Sea Park Elementary School.

The results will be presented to City Council members Wednesday night at their regular meeting. Barker said the city's environmental consultant would likely retest the wells soon to validate the results.

"I think we have to confirm the test," she said.

Fire foams with the dangerous chemicals had been used at Patrick Air Force Base and other military installations, until being phased out in recent years.

The city paid about $9,000 for the well testing. The company that drilled the three wells is Preferred Drilling Solutions Inc., based in Pinellas Park. Tetra Tech is the environmental consulting firm that sampled the wells.

The city had recently drilled the three wells to sample from, after an oncologist who graduated from Satellite High School had raised concerns about a possible cancer cluster.

Oncologist concerned over high numbers of cancers in Satellite alumni Dr. Julie Clift Greenwalt, oncologist and cancer survivor herelf, concerned over the high rate of cancers in Satellite High alumni.

More: Looking for cancer answers, Satellite Beach drills 3 shallow water wells

More: What's the definition of a cancer cluster?

Julie Greenwalt, a Jacksonville oncologist and cancer survivor who graduated from Satellite High School, has questioned whether local environmental exposures could have contributed to her cancer and dozens of other cancers in the area in recent years. She and other concerned citizens point to recent federal testing that showed high concentrations of chemicals from firefighting foam in groundwater at Patrick Air Force Base.

Brevard Public Schools also recently conducted water tests, hiring a firm to sample tap water at 13 beachside schools. Those results are pending and expected to be released Aug. 5 at a community meeting at Satellite Beach Civic Center.

The compounds were among 28 chemicals that the EPA required water systems to test for between 2013 and 2015. Neither Melbourne or Cocoa's water systems found any of the chemicals during that testing requirement, EPA data show.

But a March 2018 Department of Defense report found that all 28 groundwater samples recently taken at Patrick exceeded the EPA lifetime health advisory level for fluorinated chemicals. Sampling showed 15 of 16 areas tested at Patrick and Cape Canaveral Air Force Station had the compounds at levels in the groundwater greater than EPA's advisory level. The highest level detected at the base was 4.3 million parts per trillion.

Florida Department of Environmental Protection officials said Wednesday their agency "will continue to support ongoing federal assessment efforts by reviewing sampling plans and data, and providing other technical assistance as needed."

DEP has requested Satellite Beach's sampling results and once received will review and share the data with the Air Force, DEP officials said.

William Davis, who moved to Satellite Beach three months ago, worries about the drinking water in his newly adopted city.

"I do believe there are some issues standing with people that have been here for a long time, and if I am going to be here for a longer time, I don't want those issues to become mine," Davis said. "So I just want to speak out now and say, let's take a look at it, and let's see what we can do about it."

Contact Waymer at 321-242-3663

or jwaymer@floridatoday.com.

Twitter: @jwayenviro

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Community meeting

There will be a public meeting 2 to 4 p.m. Sunday, Aug. 5, at the Satellite Beach Civic Center, 565 Cassia Blvd., to discuss the school drinking water and groundwater testing in the area.

Have cancer concerns?

To report a cancer or other health concern, call the Florida Department of Health in Brevard at 321-454-7111.

Concerned Citizens Meeting about cancer cluster Close to 100 people turned out at Kiwi Tennis Club to discuss the many rare cases of cancer that has surfaced in the Satellite Beach area.

Like 20 other Satellite High grads, 'my cancer was environmental' Victoria Hicks talks about her diagnosis with stage 4 breast cancer last year.