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Blades starts flushing new carbon filtration system

Katie Peikes
/
Delaware Public Media
Blades' new carbon filtration system, behind the town hall.

Blades officials started flushing water through the town’s new carbon filtration system Tuesday to get non-carbon treated water out and carbon-treated water in.

Water and Maintenance Supervisor Brandon Slater says the process involves isolating pipes, turning valves off and on again and shutting hydrants off and on.

Slater says now that the town’s new nearly-22 foot tall carbon filtration system is installed, the 24-7 system will strip all contaminants, like perfluorinated compounds, away. Delaware's Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Control found levels of PFCs above the EPA's health advisory standard in Blades' three wells a couple of weeks ago.

Slater says the carbon filtration system is very hands-off.

"It's self-contained and does its own thing until we need to change the carbon out," Slater said. “...When the wells run, water is coming in and water is going right back out."

The entire flushing process could take a couple of days. 

On Blades' water situation, Slater said "it's been pretty hectic. It's a big relief that things are starting to wind down."

State environmental officials say residents will also need to flush their own home water systems, but haven’t been given the signal to do so yet.

The Environmental Protection Agency took samples of the filtered water last week and is in the process of getting the results, according to state officials.

Residents can still get drinking water from the Delaware National Guard at the Blades Fire Hall.

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