Twenty-one wells at Wright-Patterson Air Force Base yielded water samples showing the presence of “forever chemicals” above Environmental Protection Agency lifetime health advisory levels or regional screening levels, according to data from a group tasked with environmental remediation at the base.
In response to questions, however, the base said nobody at Wright-Patterson is drinking water with these chemicals at a concentration higher than 70 parts per trillion — a crucial regulatory EPA marker for two of the forever chemicals, PFOS/PFOA.
In May 2016, the EPA established a lifetime health advisory level of 70 parts per trillion for drinking water. Since then, the EPA has started to promulgate a stricter standard, lowering the allowable level of the chemicals to near zero.
“As a result of past Air Force activities, there are known concentrations of volatile organic compounds (VOC) and PFAS compounds in the groundwater that is the source of drinking water at WPAFB,” the base said. “Our drinking water systems have the appropriate treatment systems in place that ensure concentrations of these compounds are below the current regulatory standards for drinking water.”
Wright-Patterson Air Force Base is committed to the health and safety of the base and surrounding communities, the base said in a statement.
“The Airmen of Wright-Patterson, both active-duty and civilian, and their families live in these…
