'Forever chemicals' in water linked to film studio

The site of a former film studio has been investigated as a possible source of "forever chemicals" found in groundwater, a water company said.

Affinity Water said the film and photographic processing that took place at the Denham Film Studios in Buckinghamshire may be linked to the perfluoroalkyl and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) detected in Blackford Water Treatment Works in Hillingdon.

The groundwater once supplied 20 million litres (20,000 kiloliters) of drinking water a day to parts of London.

Weston Homes, the site's owner, said it was in discussions with Affinity Water over the matter.

The Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs said PFAS were often called "forever chemicals" and they can cause risks of "harm to people and to the environment, including wildlife".

Affinity Water said it gave data gathered by its chemical tracing catchment investigations to the Environmental Agency.

Alice Elder, the water quality manager at Affinity Water, said: "It's been about three years that we've been in discussion with them over this.

"There's two main areas where we would really like to see the Environment Agency better staffed and equipped and one would be on the investigation side, so supporting us, working with us on investigating and identifying where these sources of all sorts of pollution are and then on the other side of enforcing whatever measures are put in place."

The Drinking Water Inspectorate ruled Blackford Water Treatment Works a potential health risk in 2022, after perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA) - a carcinogenic PFAS compound - was detected in water drawn from the underlying chalk aquifer.

Blackford Water Treatment Works has been out of supply since 2021.

PFOA was widely used in the film and photography industry as it made materials resist static, repel dirt and spread liquids evenly.

Steve Plumb, Affinity Water's asset strategy and capital delivery director, said: "Ultimately, we will have to treat [the substance] it at the end of the pipe, which is probably the least efficient way of doing it by the time it gets to us.

"The Environment Agency and ultimately the polluters themselves, or at least the people who own those land now, need to take action there."

The former Denham Film Studios operated from 1936 and pictures shot there included Brief Encounter, The Great Escape, Eyes Wide Shut, as well several James Bond films.

Later, it became known for recording film scores, including for Star Wars and James Bond, before closing in 2014.

Weston Homes, who developed the site, said: "Weston Homes is currently in discussions with Affinity Water on this matter."

Affinity Water said it was going to trial filtration methods by putting in a £2m pilot treatment programme, which if successful would be scaled up to a £31m treatment plant at Blackford.

Richard Emmott, the water company's public affairs adviser, said customers would have to pay for this through their bills.

"We would like to see the introduction of a 'polluter pays' principle and potentially for sort of whole life costing to be introduced around products that include PFAS," he added.

An Environment Agency spokesperson said: "We are working with Buckinghamshire Council to investigate possible sources of PFAS in the vicinity of the Blackford abstraction.

"Our monitoring programme provides an extensive picture of PFAS in the environment across England, and this evidence is informing the delivery of the government's PFAS Plan.

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