SALISBURY, MD - Perdue AgriBusiness announced the expansion of their testing area for per- and polyfluoroalkyl (PFAS), or “forever chemicals,” in groundwater. According to officials from Perdue, they sent a letter to 307 properties in the affected area to alert them of the change.
The new additional testing zone is outlined in orange.
The new testing zone stretches out west from the original and is outlined in orange on the map above.
One neighbor WBOC spoke with on Friday, Tammy Tull, who lives on Pamela Drive in the affected area, said it was only a matter of time before their neighborhood was included.
"I was a little concerned when I saw that we weren't part of the original testing group," Tull said. "Then yesterday in the mail we got the letter from Purdue, so I'm thankful that we get to at least test and see if we are part of that. I have a grandson that stays with me Monday through Friday and I don't want him exposed to PFAS."
This tomato on Weaver Drive, which is also in the new orange zone, belongs to Nadine Moreno. She says PFAS concerned her before the updated map was released. That's why, she said she's been getting drinking water delivered for roughly a month. However, her homegrown vegetables still get groundwater.
"We've been eating those vegetables so that's kind of a concern," Moreno said. "As well as I've been, for about a year, been having issues with my throat and esophagus. I just went in Tuesday for biopsies so waiting to get that back and see if it has anything to do with it."
Neighbors we spoke with tell us that the letter sent by Perdue warns those with private wells to get them tested for PFAS levels. Down Parkhurst Drive, another road in the affected area, Candice Searing said her neighbor had his well tested privately. She said he warned her that his levels were higher than normal.
"It's concerning. My husband and I have two young kids, we have the animals here we have two dogs, and a rabbit," Searing said. "It's scary cause you really don't know what could happen, what will happen, or how long it's been going on, anything like that."
Officials from Perdue said the source of the PFAS has yet to be identified. According to company leaders, they expanded the testing zone based on the elevated levels found from the original testing zone. They said the boundaries of the new area were drawn, with the help of the Maryland Department of the Environment, based on groundwater flow patterns in the area.
