Navy says water wells near Kitsap base are contaminated with industrial chemical
Two water wells near Naval Base Kitsap-Bangor were contaminated with an industrial chemical found in firefighting foam, according to an investigation by the base.
PFAS, or per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances, are ingredients in firefighting foam used by the Navy and other branches of the U.S. military. Bases throughout the country have been cited as the source for nearby PFAS-contaminated water in dozens of lawsuits.
These results come after a sampling of 292 wells near Naval Base Kitsap earlier this year, 83 showed some level of PFAS contamination, according to a Navy report. Two of the wells were found to have levels of PFAS above the EPA lifetime health advisory level of 70 parts per trillion.
The Navy said residents who get drinking water from affected wells will be provided with an indefinite supply of bottled water until the Navy can provide a long-term solution. The Navy did not provide a timeline for a resolution.
According to its report, the Navy assessed 22 sites that could be sources of PFAS releases — due to car fires or disposal sites.
The Navy is now conducting expanded testing to wells south of the base to determine further contamination. Officials estimated about 1,400 properties will be tested in the initial phase of the expanded study.
Residents can visit the Navy PFAS website — NavyBangorPfas.com — to find information, request a sampling and ask questions about the water testing.
PFAS are referred to as “forever chemicals” by the Environmental Protection Agency because they don’t break down naturally in the environment. The C-8 Medical Monitoring Program, created as part of a settlement against DuPont over water contamination in West Virginia, found a probable link between PFOA — part of the PFAS family — and pregnancy-induced hypertension, kidney disease, testicular cancer, thyroid disease and high cholesterol.
A Defense Department task force working to address the response to PFAS contamination released a progress report in March and said it has found no PFAS-free foam that meets the safety standards set by DOD to extinguish fuel fires.
In July, the Lakewood Water District joined over 500 other groups in a lawsuit against the Department of Defense. The lawsuit says firefighting foam used on Joint Base Lewis-McChord leaked into the groundwater supply used by the district. The district said it will spend over $377 million in the next 50 years for water-quality protection projects
This story was originally published October 23, 2020 at 3:34 PM with the headline "Navy says water wells near Kitsap base are contaminated with industrial chemical."
