Because of cancer concerns, School Board to test drinking water at beachside schools Drinking water tests are linked to cancer concerns in Satellite Beach, South Patrick Shores area.

Jim Waymer | Florida Today

Show Caption Hide Caption 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.

In response to cancer concerns, Brevard Public Schools plans to test drinking water at 13 barrier island campuses for firefighting chemicals found at high levels in groundwater at Patrick Air Force Base.

The tests of beachside drinking water for more than 6,400 students along beachside comes after about 100 cancer survivors and concerned citizens met Sunday at Kiwi Tennis Club to discuss recent and past cancer cases in the Satellite Beach and South Patrick Shores area. Theories about contributing factors include the firefighting chemicals or other toxic chemicals buried decades ago, nearby radar stations or something yet-to-be found.

"No information has indicated that there are potential problems at the schools or with the drinking water from the Melbourne or Cocoa water utilities," district officials said in a release Tuesday. "But to ensure the safety of students, faculty and staff at its schools, BPS is seeking scientific data before students return to classes in the fall."

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District officials plan to release the testing results before school begins Aug. 10.

"We're testing out of an abundance of caution, simply because of the concerns of our parents," said Dane Theodore, assistant superintendent for facilities. "We're trying to be proactive ... Regardless of what we find, we're going to publish it. Certainly we will share the results whatever they are."

Universal Engineering Sciences of Rockledge will take one sample at a fountain at each of the 13 schools, district officials said. District officials could not provide a cost for the testing Tuesday, because they had yet to receive the firm's proposal for the work.

The district is trying to get answers and to protect families, school board member Tina Descovich, who represents schools on the South Beaches, said in a prepared statement.

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

“As the mother of two beachside students, and a person who grew up in Satellite Beach and was diagnosed with thyroid cancer in 2010, I have many of the same questions and concerns as our community,” Descovich said. “I pray our drinking water is not affected in any way. These tests are important for our peace of mind and I look forward to receiving the results.”

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. They point to recent media reports and federal testing that showed high concentrations of chemicals from firefighting foam in groundwater at Patrick Air Force Base.

The fire foam chemicals, perfluorooctane sulfonate (PFOS) and perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA), are unregulated. But science is finding that even at extremely low exposures, the compounds are implicated in some types of cancer, thyroid defects, immune suppression and pregnancy complications, according to a scientific panel that examined the chemicals from 2005-13 and recent scientific studies.

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.

But military officials say because beachside is on either Melbourne or Cocoa's water system, which uses water sources from mainland wells and Lake Washington, there is no known pathway to exposure from drinking water on the barrier island.

Patrick Air Force Base began using firefighting foam that contains the fluorinated chemicals in 1970, including those that are now the focus of concern. In 2000, American manufacturers began phasing out the harmful compounds, and Patrick Air Force Base switched its fire crash rescue trucks in 2016 to what is supposed be a safer formula.

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The chemicals were also used in industrial and consumer products to make the products resist stains, heat, water and grease. Examples include Teflon® cookware, waterproofing fabric and coating on fast food wrappers. Until several years ago, DuPont made Teflon® at a plant in Parkersburg, West Virginia. The company faced multiple lawsuits by people who worked there, lived nearby or downstream of the factory.

The city of Satellite Beach plans to test several groundwater wells for the fluorinated chemicals of concern, with results by the end of the month, City Manager Courtney Barker said via email.

What is a cancer cluster? Find out what the Centers for Disease Control say makes an actual cancer cluster.

Brevard Public Schools will test the following schools:

South Patrick Shores

• Sea Park Elementary

Satellite Beach

• Satellite High

• DeLaura Middle

• Holland Elementary

• Surfside Elementary

Cocoa Beach

• Cocoa Beach Jr./Sr. High

• Freedom 7 Elementary

• Roosevelt Elementary

Cape Canaveral

• Cape View Elementary

Indian Harbor Beach

• Ocean Breeze Elementary

Indialantic

• Hoover Middle

• Indialantic Elementary

Melbourne Beach

• Gemini Elementary

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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.

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