Fountain’s utility director and politicians head to Washington
We’re following the latest on the efforts to clear per-fluorinated chemicals found in water in the Fountain Valley. United States Air Force contractors delivered filtration tanks this summer to strip away the chemicals contaminating the water supply. It’s believed the PFCs in the water may be from firefighting foam that was used for training at Peterson Air Force Base.
KRDO News Channel 13’s Cinthia Maldonado found out Fountain is fighting to get more money to help.
In June, Air Force contractors delivered these filtration tanks after PFCs were found in the ground water since then there’s been some progress, but it’s not over.
In the upcoming days Fountain’s utility director and politicians are heading to Washington — to request more money to help get the community back to using ground water.
“On October 23rd our mayor, and members of staff will be traveling to really to help them understand where Fountain is at and why we’re a priority,” says Curtis Mitchell, Fountain’s utility director.
In the meantime, these 17-foot-tall filtration tanks are doing some of the dirty work.
“The granular activated carbon and filter absorbs the water contamination and removes it from the water,” explains Mitchell.
But that doesn’t stop the city from relying on other water providers.
“The water that Fountain receives now comes from the Pueblo Reservoir, from the Fountain Valley, through a treatment facility, and through our Southern Delivery System capacity.”
This limits the City of Fountain to only use about 30% of its own water.
The water contamination leaves the community worried .
Debora Stout-Meininger has lived in Fountain over a decade and says she doesn’t trust the water. “No! I drink and I cook with bottled water ever since January 2016 since I found out about this.”
Sieg Fried owns Schnitzel King Restaurant in Fountain and he can’t use tap water. “The health department was here. He checked the water and said the water was not drinkable for people not for cooking but for washing hands.”
He says the contamination concerns are forcing him to move his business to Colorado Springs.
According to Fountain Utilities, the city has four filtration tanks and hopes by next summer groundwater will be able to be used again.
