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6 More Wells Tainted, State Says

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By GALINA TISHCHENKO

News Channel 8

Published: August 9, 2008

ST. PETERSBURG - The Florida Department of Environmental Protection is reporting that six more homes near the Raytheon defense plant have polluted wells.

That brings to 19 the total of homes with wells showing levels of industrial chemicals that exceed state standards. Dozens more wells drilled in the area since April to test for the spread of the chemicals have shown traces of them.

The new test results, from samples taken in July, show a widening circle of groundwater pollution that now extends as far south as Fifth Avenue, 10 blocks from the Raytheon plant, and as far west as 76th Avenue, about four blocks from the plant.

Azalea Elementary School is on the edge of the known contamination plume. The school doesn't use irrigation wells on its property but a different problem may be at its doors: Because of the volatile nature of the chemicals, experts say, indoor air pollution is a possibility.

Raytheon offered to run indoor air tests while students and teachers are still on vacation. Pinellas school officials decided to do their own tests at a cost of about $15,000.

The school hired an expert from the University of South Florida and the results of the tests will be discussed Monday at a school staff meeting.

The pollutants include industrial chemicals such as 1,4-dioxane, TCE and vinyl chloride, all considered hazardous to humans.

Raytheon has said there is no danger; DEP said there is no risk to people because no one drinks the groundwater.

Drinking the water, however, is not the only danger, according to groundwater experts. That's one reason air tests are also under way.

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