Contaminated Water Drives Chester Schools To Use Public Water System

CHESTER, NJ — The Chester Township Council voted earlier this fall to allow the New Jersey American Water Company to connect the Dickerson and Bragg Elementary Schools to their water system.

The two schools are currently using a well to access drinking water.

Dickerson Elementary, which serves grades K-2, and Bragg Elementary, which serves grades 3-5, are adjacent on the east side of Route 24, near the County Road 513 intersection.

The two schools are located within Chester Township, with only a small portion of Dickerson bordering Chester Borough. Both of the schools also have a connecting pipe that will allow them to share a water source, officials said.

The council passed a similar ordinance in May, hoping to finish connecting the water line this summer, but it was forced to abandon it after the water company objected to some of the language in the original document, and a new one was created.

One of the main reasons for abandoning the wells is because a recent water test at Dickerson Elementary showed high levels of Perfluorooctanoic Acid (PFOA). PFOA's are fluorinated organic compounds that are part of larger group of compounds known as perfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS).

PFAS chemicals have been linked, according to the CDC, to an increased risk of immune system problems, liver, kidney, and blood serum cholesterol issues, as well as an increased risk of birth defects.

PFOS has been used in man-made chemicals since the 1940s and is resistant to heat, oils, stains, grease, and water—properties that contribute to their persistence in the environment. In recent years, the man-made chemicals used in consumer products and industrial processes have been shown to be harmful.

The current plan is to disconnect the schools' current wells and connect to the water system next summer to avoid disrupting the school year. According to the council, New Jersey American Water already has a water line nearby that will only need to be extended a short distance to connect the schools.