Earlier this week I attended a meeting convened by Mayor Sullivan for the benefit of the public regarding PFC contamination of the Barnes Aquifer. I greatly appreciate the mayor’s efforts to help educate the public about this issue.
Here are a few of my big takeaways from tonight’s meeting. Please note my comments below do not represent the official position of any other local, state, or federal public official or agency. They are my own only:
1) Those on city water currently have no risk of exposure to PFCs through our drinking water.
2) Exposure to PFC-contaminated city drinking water in the immediate past was very minimal. But it is not known exactly what the exposure was over the longer term. The risk to human health of the exposure that is known appears to be very, very small.
3) Initially, the Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) will conduct testing on 25 private wells to help determine if PFCs have contaminated private wells. These tests will be performed on private wells near the Barnes aquifer, mostly along East Mountain Road. Additional measures will be taken based on these test results. The costs of the tests will be covered by the state. The DEP is actively reaching out to residents selected for the tests.
4) PFCs were in use at Barnes by the Air National Guard from 1970 to 1987. They were primarily used during fire drills to extinguish fires. PFCs are not currently used at Barnes for drilling. A different kind of PFC is still in use but it is only used in emergencies and it is used in lower quantities. The PFCs currently in use are thought to be more safe than the older PFCs used decades ago. Soil that was known to be contaminated with PFCs at Barnes was remediated. The federal government is currently undertaking studies to better determine the extent of the contamination to decide future courses of action and remediation.
5) Officials from the City of Westfield, the Massachusetts DEP and the federal government are actively engaged in trying to ensure the risk to the public is minimized. The problem is not getting ignored.
6) Residents are actively communicating their concerns with public officials to help guide them.
7) If contamination is found in the private wells, the DEP will be willing to supply bottled water and pay for filtration systems for residents.
Overall, I was very pleased with tonight’s meeting. It is good to see residents and government officials exchanging ideas and get a better understanding of the situation. I encourage all residents to actively seek information and educate themselves on this issue so we can all work together to take appropriate measures to ensure the health and well-being of those drinking well water as well as the continued integrity of the city’s water system.
Very soon the council will take up the mayor’s budget for FY 18. Unfortunately, money from the state is still be very tight and we will again be scrapping for every dollar. This is bad news for our infrastructure and all the vital services the city provides, including our schools, which is looking at program cuts to help minimize its budget.
On a related matter to the schools, the Massachusetts Supreme Court heard the dispute over the proposed school on Ashley and Cross Streets. If this decision goes in the city’s favor, this will go a long way to helping our schools save money by allowing us to close two old schools and replace with a brand new school. We should have a decision within a few months time.
On a lighter note, the new transit pavilion is about to open and it looks like it’s going to be a lightning rod for those who don’t like its architecture. I certainly can’t change the minds of those who are displeased with, but I will encourage everyone to at least consider the following points and try to make the most of our newest addition to downtown:
1) It was built with no money from the city. The center was built with funds from the Pioneer Valley Transit Authority.
2) According to City Advancement Officer Joe Mitchell, the PVTA didn’t provide any options for the design of the building. It was a “take it or leave it offer.”
3) The new structure replaced a very old apartment building that was generally considered to be an eyesore.
4) Many cities offer interesting juxtapositions of modern and traditional architecture and they work it to their advantage.
5) It will provide a much more pleasant experience for travelers who are currently stuck with a single bench on Elm Street.
6) It will free up parking spots on Elm Street.
7) It will be an eye-catching place for cyclists coming off the trail to visit and get information about what they can see and do in Westfield.
8) The pavilion will not be as prominent as it currently is once a new structure on Elm Street is built.
Finally, some people have been asking what I’ve been up to over the past couple of months. I have been working very hard to improve my software development skills in order to renew my efforts on building a central event calendar for Westfield. The calendar will be as automated as possible so it will be extremely comprehensive. I hope to roll out the second version of the calendar by the end of this summer. I will be incorporating an opportunity for advertising on the site and will donate all proceeds to a New Year’s celebration event here in Westfield which I am still very interested in organizing. I’ve also been fleshing out some ideas for other potential projects that I hope to announce soon, as well. Stay tuned!
