September 2, 2020
PFAS LITIGATION
CMID/CWUA has elected to join as a plaintiff in that Federal Court litigation involving the manufacturers and distributors of AFFF (Aqueous Film Forming Foam), which contains PFAS compounds. Our lawsuit seeks to recover damages for the treatment and removal of PFOS, PFOA and other per-fluorinated chemical (PFC) contaminants from our ground and surface water irrigation wells.
Although PFAS compounds are unregulated at this time, out of an abundance of caution and in order to protect those District assets that have been damaged by the presence of PFAS compounds, CMID/CWUA has joined that litigation in which the City of Tucson and the Town of Marana have been involved for almost two years. It has recently come to the attention of the CMID/CWUA that certain waters extracted from a small number of District wells show traces of PFAS, a substance now the subject of Congressional legislation and Environmental Protection Agency actions to control. Most of the wells tested fell below those EPA recommendations for drinking water, but some wells were slightly above that amount. Our testing results have consistently been provided to the Arizona Department of Environmental Quality. We will continue to conduct ongoing testing and provide the results to the appropriate governmental agencies.
CMID is an Arizona Irrigation District. We do not provide drinking water to the public or any other farmer, shareholder, or customer. We only provide non-potable water, which is not intended for drinking. The water we provide is used entirely for farm related crops, to water other greenspace (lawns, common areas, golf turf), and for construction purposes (dust control, concrete manufacturing). For decades, the District has consistently notified all of our farmers and other customers that our water is non-potable. As the residents of north Marana and anyone else traveling through the District would be aware, much of our water is transmitted through open canals. Although there are studies that indicate contaminated drinking water can cause health problems, there are few studies regarding the impact of PFAS on growing plants. To date there have been no claims of health damage to crops or plants, but CMID/CWUA have positioned themselves to protect the water and, where necessary and appropriate, to recover damages.
Our water is and will continue to be safe for non-potable uses. We will continue to work along with and the ADEQ and ADWR to ensure the District is doing everything possible to ensure we continue to provide access to clean, safe irrigation water. Should you have additional questions, contact the CMID/CWUA manager at 520-682-3233. Additional information can be found at the Arizona Department of Environmental Quality website http://www.azdeq.gov/PFOA/PFOS, or at the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency website https://www.epa.gov/pfas.
PFAS LITIGATION
CMID/CWUA has elected to join as a plaintiff in that Federal Court litigation involving the manufacturers and distributors of AFFF (Aqueous Film Forming Foam), which contains PFAS compounds. Our lawsuit seeks to recover damages for the treatment and removal of PFOS, PFOA and other per-fluorinated chemical (PFC) contaminants from our ground and surface water irrigation wells.
Although PFAS compounds are unregulated at this time, out of an abundance of caution and in order to protect those District assets that have been damaged by the presence of PFAS compounds, CMID/CWUA has joined that litigation in which the City of Tucson and the Town of Marana have been involved for almost two years. It has recently come to the attention of the CMID/CWUA that certain waters extracted from a small number of District wells show traces of PFAS, a substance now the subject of Congressional legislation and Environmental Protection Agency actions to control. Most of the wells tested fell below those EPA recommendations for drinking water, but some wells were slightly above that amount. Our testing results have consistently been provided to the Arizona Department of Environmental Quality. We will continue to conduct ongoing testing and provide the results to the appropriate governmental agencies.
CMID is an Arizona Irrigation District. We do not provide drinking water to the public or any other farmer, shareholder, or customer. We only provide non-potable water, which is not intended for drinking. The water we provide is used entirely for farm related crops, to water other greenspace (lawns, common areas, golf turf), and for construction purposes (dust control, concrete manufacturing). For decades, the District has consistently notified all of our farmers and other customers that our water is non-potable. As the residents of north Marana and anyone else traveling through the District would be aware, much of our water is transmitted through open canals. Although there are studies that indicate contaminated drinking water can cause health problems, there are few studies regarding the impact of PFAS on growing plants. To date there have been no claims of health damage to crops or plants, but CMID/CWUA have positioned themselves to protect the water and, where necessary and appropriate, to recover damages.
Our water is and will continue to be safe for non-potable uses. We will continue to work along with and the ADEQ and ADWR to ensure the District is doing everything possible to ensure we continue to provide access to clean, safe irrigation water. Should you have additional questions, contact the CMID/CWUA manager at 520-682-3233. Additional information can be found at the Arizona Department of Environmental Quality website http://www.azdeq.gov/PFOA/PFOS, or at the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency website https://www.epa.gov/pfas.