Satellite Beach "Clusters" ? Too worry or not? (Merritt Island: houses, school)

[deez54]

Hello,

Moving to Satellite in end of summer for new school year. Should I reconsider? Hearing about these cancer cluster possibilities.

Have small kids

Thanks

[jghorton]

We lived in Satellite Beach for 27-years before moving in 2010. Never heard a word about this ... until after we moved. No idea where the idea stems from or if there is any merit to it. No first hand knowledge here.

[logybogy]

If you google Satellite Beach Cancer Cluster, you'll find lots of articles. Apparently, the theory is that decades of dumping of toxic materials at nearby Patrick Air Force Base has contaminated the lagoon waters in the intracoastal and the water supply/wells on the island.

Water tests have found cancer causing agents in the water so this is something to be taken seriously.

https://www.floridatoday.com/story/n...ter/877905002/

Tests for cancer-causing chemicals already found at high concentrations underground at Patrick Air Force Base turned up — but at lower levels — in all three wells the city recently sampled after residents had raised cancer concerns, city officials said Wednesday.

The presence of the compounds at three random wells is a matter of concern for officials and residents alike, and has the city discussing what comes next and where else to look.

"It's unfortunate that it's there," City Manager Courtney Barker said of the chemicals associated with fire extinguishing foams, Teflon and other consumer products.

The chemicals, perfluorooctane sulfonate (PFOS) and perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA), are unregulated. But science is finding that even at low exposures, these compounds are implicated in some types of cancer, thyroid defects, immune suppression and pregnancy complications, according to several scientific studies in recent years.

[1insider]

Originally Posted by logybogy

If you google Satellite Beach Cancer Cluster, you'll find lots of articles. Apparently, the theory is that decades of dumping of toxic materials at nearby Patrick Air Force Base has contaminated the lagoon waters in the intracoastal and the water supply/wells on the island.

Water tests have found cancer causing agents in the water so this is something to be taken seriously.

https://www.floridatoday.com/story/n...ter/877905002/

While still concerning, it's worth noting that this is ground water they're talking about and testing, not drinking water. And, the Banana River that borders Satellite and Cocoa Beach is not part of the intracoastal waterway. That would be the Indian River on the west side of Merritt Island.

[deez54]

OK, so if its in the "groundwater" wouldn't there still be exposure on the grass/lawns? I'm curious to know the per capita of cancer incidents in the area vs the nation? Who do you think will have that information?

[deez54]

And is there any word about the city changing to "city water" for their sprinkler systems? Would make sense to keep exposure limited

[logybogy]

There were concerns in Satellite Beach in the early 90's about high cancer rates as well.

https://www.floridatoday.com/story/n...se/1239584002/

Also, it appears to be a nationwide problem affecting military bases. Cities surrounding 126 bases have high rates of the cancer causing chemicals/

https://www.militarytimes.com/news/y...ed-to-cancers/

The water at or around at least 126 military installations contains potentially harmful levels of perfluorinated compounds, which have been linked to cancers and developmental delays for fetuses and infants, the Pentagon has found.

In a March report provided to the House Armed Services Committee, the Pentagon for the first time publicly listed the full scope of the known contamination. The Defense Department identified 401 active and Base Closure and Realignment installations in the United States with at least one area where there was a known or suspected release of perfluorinated compounds.

These included 36 sites with drinking water contamination on-base, and more than 90 sites that reported either on-base or off-base drinking water or groundwater contamination, in which the water source tested above the Environmental Protection Agency’s acceptable levels of perfluorooctane sulfonate or perfluorooctanoic acid, also known as PFOS and PFOAs.

The man-made chemicals, which can be used to make items heat or water resistant, are found in everyday household, food and clothing items, even take-out food wrappers.

At military bases, however, they are concentrated in the foam used to put out aircraft fires.

[1insider]

Originally Posted by deez54

And is there any word about the city changing to "city water" for their sprinkler systems? Would make sense to keep exposure limited

I don't know about Satellite but Cocoa Beach uses reclaimed water, not ground water, for the irrigation water supplied to residents.

[BrevardREALTOR]

I have flipped several houses in Satellite beach, and each one had a private well fed from the ground water for irrigation. I do believe a plumber could tap into the city water for the use of irrigation if the homeowners desired to do so. It would cost a bit, but health is priceless.
I have yet to find information on what effects walking/ playing in the grass watered with this groundwater could have on health. It does occur to me, though, that young children could touch the wet grass then put their hands in their mouth giving the contaminates a direct route to their digestive systems.
If anyone finds a good source of information please share it.

[fight4zero]

We have a Facebook group dedicated to this issue called Fight For Zero Brevard. Our grassroots group has done extensive research into the issues. There was a cancer cluster investigation in the 90's where the state found 40 cases of Hodgkin's Lymphoma and concluded it was caused by a virus. We have learned through the Restoration Advisory Board (RAB) that there are multiple remediation projects currently taking place to clean up legacy pollutants. We have also conducted independent tests, crowdsourced cancer cases that got us the Brevard County Cancer Assessment, were able to get a FUDS eligibility for South Patrick Shores, and continue to work with leaders to ensure the safety and wellbeing of those living on or near base. One thing that is being proposed is federally funded water filtration systems provided to all the homeowners in both Cocoa Beach and Satellite Beach since the infrastructure in the area isn't good and everytime a main breaks these harmful chemicals are potentially being introduced into your drinking water.