BPS Samples Water For Cancer-Causing Chemicals At Cocoa Beach High School

COCOA BEACH, Florida – Brevard Public Schools sampled drinking water on Tuesday at Cocoa Beach Junior/Senior High School for any trace of cancer-causing firefighting chemicals discovered in groundwater at Patrick Air Force Base.

The contractor for BPS, Universal Engineering Sciences, obtained samples of drinking water at several locations throughout the campus.

Brevard Public Schools will also test the drinking water at 12 other barrier island campuses for any trace of perfluorooctane sulfonate (PFOS) and/or perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA) – chemicals that are used to extinguish aircraft fires.

All 28 groundwater monitoring stations on Patrick Air Force Base tested positive for the chemicals known to cause cancer, birth defects, liver damage, thyroid damage, increased uric acid levels, increased cholesterol, and immune system damage.

The test results will be known before students return to class at the start of the school year.

While BPS tests the drinking water at schools, the cities of Satellite Beach and Cocoa Beach will test groundwater, which mostly feeds irrigation wells.