Perfluorinated Chemicals (PFCs) Found in AFA Groundwater
 
Black Forest’s Air Force Academy neighbor has discovered toxic chemicals in their groundwater. The chemicals, known as PFCs, are firefighting foam substances that also contaminated water in Security, Widefield, and Fountain.
 
We called the El Paso County Public Health Department for information of interest to Black Forest residents who may be concerned about their well water. Aaron Doussett, the Water Quality manager, provided the following information:

• The Air Force is testing wells to determine how far the contamination has spread. There is no information about any Black Forest wells to date (August 27, 2019).
• Residents may test their well water for PFCs. The EPC Public Health Department uses labs associated with the EPA who charge about $300 per test.
• Reverse osmosis filters with catalytic carbon media, which can be installed under the kitchen sink, remove PFC molecules.
• Water contaminated with PFCs does not have any unusual odor, color, or taste.
• A person drinking PFC contaminated water does not appear ill immediately.

 
For more information, call the El Paso County Health Department at (719) 518-3131 or read Perfluorinated Compounds (PFCs) in Fountain, Widefield, Security for more information.

By Donna Duncan and Monika Eckmann
 
Black Forest residents, are you concerned that the massive amount of development coming to Black Forest might adversely affect our groundwater supply? A recent water decree allows the Cherokee Metropolitan District to pump a total of 3,708 acre-feet of water per year; 1,246 acre-feet of that yearly total can come from the Dawson aquifer. One acre-foot is the volume of water equivalent to covering one acre of land to a depth of one foot; this equals 43,560 cubic feet or 325,851 gallons. There are approximately 13,116 Black Forest residents who use 0.5 acre-feet per year, per household. Consequently, Cherokee can pump 50% additional water than is used by the entire Black Forest community in a year.