A Torbay resident who has launched a proposed class action against Transport Canada is not surprised to learn that PFAS contamination in the region extends further than initial testing suggested.
Eddie Sheerr and his wife Susan launched a proposed class action alleging that Transport Canada failed to take appropriate action to prevent contamination of residential wells and ground water in areas of Torbay near the airport.
The PFAS, or so-called ‘forever chemicals,’ stem from fire suppression foam used at the airport as part of firefighter training exercises. Testing has detected the chemicals in a number of wells, but a recent CBC Investigates report indicates that the contamination extends further, and at higher levels than initial testing suggested.
Sheerr says he’s not surprised to learn that the problem is more extensive than many initially understood.
“If you look at the proposed class action scope – the map that McInnis Cooper has drawn up as to where we think the contamination could be – it’s considerably bigger than the initial area that we thought.”
“So that was expanded when the Statement of Claim was filed in provincial court a few months ago to include significantly more of Torbay, and then parts of Logy Bay-Middle Cove- Outer Cove, and these are all areas that aren’t served by the town of Torbay with respect to municipal water. So it’s homes in this area that are on their own wells.”
Sheerr says even testing on his own well water shows significant fluctuations in the level of PFAS detected. He says Transport Canada has been providing them with bottled water for consumption, and while area residents were promised filtration systems, that has yet to happen.
“Testing was supposed to be ongoing this summer,” says Sheerr, “and if that went well, residents who had high PFAS levels were supposed to start to get filtration systems delivered in the fall.”
He says while that’s not a permanent fix, it’s a good first step. “I’ve come to find out that not a single filtration system has been installed for testing yet, and they are planning on doing it this fall. We have yet to get any updates from the MP or from Transport Canada on the status of these testing filtration systems, and this is why the situation is so frustrating.”
