Palm Beach State College

The Palm Beach State College is located at:

This facility is served by a municipal water supply system that provides its drinking water. Approximately 80 employees work at the training facility.  It has used firefighting aqueous film forming foam (AFFF) since 2006 and stockpiles it on-site.  

On August 14, 2019, DEP and State Contractor staff completed sampling of soil, sediment, surface water and groundwater at the facility.  Samples were collected from seven soil boring locations (0-1’ and 1'-2’ below land surface), seven sediment sites and two surface water locations.  Groundwater from two temporary monitor well locations at the complex were also sampled. 

Laboratory analytical results indicate the concentrations of perfluorooctanoate acid (PFOA) and perfluorooctane sulfonate (PFOS) in groundwater samples collected were above the provisional cleanup target level.

These analytes are associated with AFFF.  The concentrations of PFOA and PFOS found in soil were also above provisional cleanup target levels.  FDOH was requested to implement a community sample plan.  DOH completed the sampling of fourteen potable wells around the Palm Beach State College on May 27 2020, and found no wells that exceeded the Health Advisory Level. DOH efforts are ongoing.

DEP continues to work and assess the extent the contamination and oversee the development of a cleanup plan to remove or contain the contamination to prevent environmental impact and human exposure.

A link summarizing important events at this facility is included below.  More information about this site can be accessed through DEP's information portal.  The Facility/Site ID is ERIC_7408.

• Timeline of Activities

Return to the  Fire Training Facility Site Assessments page.