💧 Test samples show high mercury levels in South Jersey private wells

💧 However, new state tests show low levels

💧 A criminal act may be behind tests that showed high mercury levels


UPPER TOWNSHIP — Tampering may be responsible for inconsistently high levels of mercury in the water of private wells in this Cape May County town.

On Sept. 9, the township was notified by the Cape May County Health Department that eight wells on Bayaire Road tested positive for high levels of mercury, according to Mayor John Newman.

Four more positive tests throughout the township came back on Sept. 25, and another three positives came back on Oct. 10, Newman said at a township meeting Monday night.

Some tests showed mercury levels up to 14,000 parts per billion. Safe levels are considered below 2 PPB.

NJDEP/Canva
NJDEP/Canva
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However, new preliminary tests at the same wells done by the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection on Oct. 17 showed levels that ranged from not detectable to just .066 PPB.

Someone tampered with the mercury tests

Shawn LaTourette, the commissioner of the state DEP, said they immediately launched an investigation to figure out why the tests showed such drastically different results.

Their findings were shocking.

"Someone with access to the initial samples is believed to have knowingly tampered with those samples. That tampering incident resulted in the high mercury readings," said LaTourette. He said the investigation is ongoing.

LaTourette said the tampering was "deeply shameful" as it frightened the community and used state resources reserved for pollution victims.

The mayor said he was "flabbergasted" by the revelation.

Upper Township meeting 10/28/24 (6abc)
Upper Township meeting 10/28/24 (6abc)
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What's next for Upper Township water?

It could take up to three weeks for the DEP to finalize its preliminary results showing safe mercury levels. The final results will be shared with the public.

Until the DEP is certain the water is safe, the state is paying the relocation costs for residents who use the private wells. For residents who do not relocate, the DEP will pay for their bottled water.

While the tests showed safe levels of mercury, levels of PFOA and PFAS were above standards. If those levels hold in the finalized results, the state's spill fund will pay to install treatment systems.

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