A class action lawsuit has been launched against the federal government alleging the presence of PFAS in the groundwater supplying water wells in the southeast area of Torbay, Newfoundland.
Launched by law firm McInnes Cooper, the suit filed in November suggests that a federally-owned fire training area located at the St. John’s International Airport — already deemed a high-priority contaminated site — has contaminated local wells with per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances known as PFAS, commonly used in firefighting foams.
The suit alleges that the federal government failed to capture, contain and remediate the PFAS in a timely manner following its release from the fire training area. The claim also suggests that the federal government failed to adequately notify the approximately 8,000 residents of Torbay about the risks posed to their health from the contaminated site.
“As a result, the Plaintiffs and the Class say they have suffered interference with their use and enjoyment of their properties, diminution of fair market value and marketability of their properties, costs associated with the investigation and remediation of their properties, costs associated with monitoring of their drinking water wells, as well as inconvenience, discomfort and distress,” the lawsuit states.
Subscribe to our Newsletter!
The latest environmental engineering news direct to your inbox. You can unsubscribe at any time.
Owned by Transport Canada, Federal Contaminated Sites Inventory data indicates that the groundwater is impacted not only by PFAS, but also petroleum hydrocarbons, polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons, and metalloids.
While the body of research continues to grow for PFAS health risks, some studies have shown connections to cancers and autoimmune and endocrine disorders.
The class action lawsuit has not been certified and the allegations have not yet been tested in court.
