Hamilton North residents living in streets where PFAS has contaminated the groundwater have reacted with shock at the news their community has been labelled as the city's latest pollution hot spot.
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It follows an Environment Protection Authority announcement on Thursday that PFAS contamination from the former Gonnian electroplating factory at Georgetown was moving in a south-east direction.
Residents living in about 50 homes area bounded by Broadmeadow and Boreas Roads, Payne and Clyde Streets were advised of the potential contamination threat on Thursday night and questioned about whether they use groundwater or bore water.
"It's definitely a shock," Phillips Street resident Chloe Law said.
"I don't know much about PFAS but it's a concern. I want to learn more about it."
Haylea Nicholls said even though she didn't use ground water or bore water said she was concerned about the potential health impacts.
"From what I know it is a big problem," she said.
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But Bowser Street resident Neil Peattie said he wasn't overly concerned about the discovery.
He said he had recently dug a 600 millimetre drench in his yard and had not hit ground water.
"From a personal level, it's all underground and it doesn't affect us," he said.
The Georgetown Road site operated as a plating facility by the Goninan family from the 1950s through to 2011. It was sold to the Jarvie Family in 2011. Swanson Industries purchased the business operating on the site in 2014.
The Jarvie Family still owns the land. As part of previous metal plating processes undertaken by Goninan Plating chemicals containing PFAS were used until 2006.
Swanson Industries managing director, Paul Pittard, said the company, which provides hydraulic, mechanical and electrical services to the mining and heavy industries, had been working closely with the EPA as part of ongoing investigations.
“Swanson Industries has inherited the site and has not contributed to contamination issues,” he said.
“Swanson Industries is committed to the ongoing support of our people, the community and our environment . It will continue to provide all available resources to support investigations into the historical use of chemicals on the site."
Levels of PFAS contamination at the Georgetown site have not been made public. However, tests on the former Hamilton fire station show PFAS contamination levels up to 100 times greater than health guidelines for recreational water.
A remediation report for the Hamilton site recommended removing soil across 128 square metres to a depth of about one metre.
Matthew Kelly
Matthew Kelly has worked as a journalist for more than 25 years. He has been working as a general reporter at the Newcastle Herald since 2018. In recent years he has reported on subjects including environment, energy, water security, manufacturing and higher education. He has previously covered issues including the health and environmental impacts of uncovered coal wagons in the Hunter Valley, the pollution of legacy of former industrial sites and freedom of information issues.
Matthew Kelly has worked as a journalist for more than 25 years. He has been working as a general reporter at the Newcastle Herald since 2018. In recent years he has reported on subjects including environment, energy, water security, manufacturing and higher education. He has previously covered issues including the health and environmental impacts of uncovered coal wagons in the Hunter Valley, the pollution of legacy of former industrial sites and freedom of information issues.
