PFAS Testing
The Department of the Navy is currently in the process of requesting permission from private property owners near several naval air stations to sample their drinking water wells. These requests are being made as a result of potential impacts to groundwater that may have been caused by the Navy's use of Aqueous Film Forming Foam (AFFF) during firefighting operations at these installations.
More specifically, the Navy intends to sample drinking water wells, contingent upon receiving owner permission, for the presence of Polyfluoroalkyl Substances (PFAS), an ingredient used in the manufacture of AFFF. The Navy's goal is to ensure that our neighbors' drinking water wells have not been impacted.
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency has classified PFAS as an unregulated or "emerging" contaminant which are not subject to Safe Drinking Water Act regulatory standards or routine water quality testing requirements. The U.S. EPA is currently studying PFAS to determine whether regulation is needed. Therefore, there is no legal requirement to perform the testing. The Navy is doing the testing out of a desire to be proactive and to ensure the safety and well being of our neighbors. For more information, please see the available files on the page.
Seabee Center News - Navy to begin testing drinking water
Drinking Water Evaluation Fact Sheet: Site 6 (Former Firefighting Training Area)
EPA Fact Sheet: PFOA and PFOS Drinking Water Health Advisories
PFAS: Frequently Asked Questions
PFAS: An Overview