What is the situation at Bulahdelah Rural Fire Station?
PFAS investigations have commenced at the Bulahdelah Rural Fire Station located at Harold Street, Bulahdelah, NSW, 2473.
The NSW Environment Protection Authority (NSW EPA) is monitoring the progress of NSW RFS (RFS) PFAS investigations at Bulahdelah.
Why is PFAS being investigated?
Foam containing PFAS was used in firefighting activities, such as fuel type fires and training, by some Rural Fire Brigades since 1975 for the protection of people and property.
RFS identified PFAS-containing firefighting foam might have been stored or used as part of fire training and operations at this location. As a precaution, the RFS is undertaking investigations to determine if PFAS from firefighting foam might still be present in the environment.
The presence of PFAS in the environment may not necessarily pose a risk to human health or the environment. There is currently no consistent evidence that exposure to PFOS and PFOA causes adverse human health effects (refer to NSW Health Site). It is important to assess if there are any potential ways in which people might have contact with these chemicals. The primary PFAS exposure pathways are through drinking water containing PFAS, or eating produce that was grown using water containing PFAS. Local residents are connected to the town water supply.
What testing is being undertaken?
A Detailed Site Investigation was completed between July 2024 and January 2025 by an independent environmental consultant on behalf of RFS which included the collection of soil, sediment, groundwater and surface water samples from various locations on and off-site.
What were the findings?
Sampling has confirmed the presence of PFAS in groundwater and surface water samples above the adopted assessment criteria.
What happens now?
RFS and the NSW EPA have reviewed the Detailed Site Investigation Report to determine next investigation steps, which include further sampling on and off-site to close identified investigation data gaps.
Reports
- PFAS Preliminary Site Investigation, February 2024
- PFAS Detailed Site Investigation, April 2025