Homeowners worry that pilot study could flood their basements with toxic waste.
By Chris Bernstein
Residents of Pompton
Lakes, New Jersey have a major threat looming under their homes—contaminated
groundwater—and the proposed solution would pump water underneath these
residents’ homes. According to an article on northjersey.com, residents are not
happy with the pilot study and are pushing for Governor Phil Murphy to prevent
the project from happening, as well as to add the former DuPont munitions site
to the Superfund program.
Representative Tim
Eustace says, "There's no reason we can't expedite this." According
to Eustace, with over 400 residential homes located over the contaminated groundwater,
the urgency to take action and prevent the situation from worsening has become
even more severe. Governor Murphy has shown initial signs of taking action on environmental
issues. Former Pompton Lakes resident Jefferson LaSala thinks Governor Murphy should
listen to the residents. “"Governor Murphy's initial response was good,
but if he wants to show himself to be a true environment-friendly governor, now
is the time to deliver," says LaSala.
The proposed plan created
by Chemours, a firm established by DuPont USA to handle all the pollution their
plants have left behind in areas across the country, would pump clean water
under residents’ homes. This action is designed to create a “wall” between
homes and the contaminated groundwater. Residents aren’t convinced this
solution will work, as they are afraid doing so will push contaminated water
into their basements.
When located in Pompton
Lakes, DuPont created explosives that were used in both world wars by the
United States. In the process of manufacturing these weapons, toxic chemicals seeped
into the groundwater below a residential community. Previous cleanups removed
elevated levels of lead and mercury from waterways that flow from the former
plant site through the town.
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