PFAS Found In Water At Oakland County Airport: What To Know

WATERFORD TWP., MI — PFAS has been found in groundwater below the Oakland County International Airport in Waterford Township, county officials said Thursday afternoon.

Samples retrieved from the water taken through eight permanent detection wells on airport grounds in May were positive for PFAS, and the airport submitted a 92-page report Thursday to the Michigan Department of Environment, Great Lakes, and Energy (EGLE).

“Oakland County International Airport has a long commitment to minimizing our impact on the environment,” said J. David VanderVeen, the director of Oakland County Central Services, which oversees the airport. “Whether it’s our fuel-water separator that prevents aircraft fuel from entering the stormwater sewer, our ground run-up enclosure which quiets noise pollution for our neighbors, or our LEED Gold-certified airport terminal that has reduced energy consumption by 44 percent, we are always looking for ways we can be better stewards of the environment. We bring that same mindset to investigating and addressing the detection of PFAS at the airport.”

The county said that 24 homes north of the airport remain on well water, and 13 of those homeowners opted to have EGLE test for PFAS. The lab results for 11 of those homes found "detectable concentrations of one or more PFAS compounds," the county said. One home's PFAS test result exceeded EGLE standards.

The state has asked the county to install point-of-use filters for drinking water at the 11 homes if the homeowners want them to. The source of the PFAS detected at the homes has not been determined, the county said.

Airports have been utilizing Aqueous Film Forming foams that contain PFAS since the mid-1960s, officials said. The Federal Aviation Administration mandates its use at all commercial airports because of its effectiveness at extinguishing aircraft fires.

In October of 2018, Congress directed the FAA to no longer require airports to use Aqueous Film Forming foams that contain PFAS. As of June 2021, the FAA has not lifted its requirement for airports to use the traditional Aqueous Film Forming Foam.