Tests determine water at 13 Brevard County schools safe to drink

BREVARD COUNTY, Fla. — Brevard Public Schools said Friday that test results indicate that the drinking water at 13 of its schools is safe to drink.

The chemicals were found in dangerous concentrations in well water at Patrick Air Force Base and are believed to be linked to firefighting foam, assistant superintendent Matt Reed said.

Traces of a less toxic chemical, perfluorobutyrate, also known as PFBA, was found at nine schools served by the city of Melbourne water utility, but the chemicals are at levels well below recommended safety limits, Reed said. Its source is unknown.

"Out of caution, BPS has shared its results and sought a second opinion from the state Department of Health in Tallahassee," Reed said. "It also will retest one water sample and test two additional samples from Satellite High, which showed a slightly higher trace amount of PFBA than at other beachside schools, including neighboring DeLaura Middle and Holland Elementary."

The school district said traces of PFOA and PFOS were discovered in recent city tests of well water in Satellite Beach and Cocoa Beach.

"Schools use well water only to irrigate sports fields, usually at night," Reed said. "BPS has sought guidance from the Florida Department of Health on whether to change irrigation practices to protect student-athletes, coaches and spectators."

Brevard County School Board Vice Chairman Tina Descovich, who grew up in Satellite Beach, said she was diagnosed with thyroid cancer in 2010.

"I woke up this morning (and came) into this meeting with a lot of anxiety, with real concerns," she said. "It's a relief for sure."

She and others have publicly questioned whether their illnesses amount to a cancer cluster and whether it might be linked to chemicals in the water.

The Florida Health Department hasn't determined if rates of cancer are significantly higher among beachside residents and if contaminants in water are connected, the school district said.

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The drinking water at the following schools was tested:

South Patrick Shores

Sea Park Elementary School

Satellite Beach

Satellite High School

DeLaura Middle School

Holland Elementary School

Surfside Elementary School

Cocoa Beach

Cocoa Beach Jr./Sr. High School

Freedom 7 Elementary School

Roosevelt Elementary School

Cape Canaveral

Cape View Elementary School

Indian Harbor Beach

Ocean Breeze Elementary School

Indialantic

Hoover Middle School

Indialantic Elementary School

Melbourne Beach

Gemini Elementary School

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