JOINT BASE MCGUIRE-DIX-LAKEHURST, N.J. —
Final results from recent Air Force testing for possible perfluorinated compounds (PFCs) at Joint Base MDL indicate that the compounds are not present in on-base drinking water supplies at levels above state or federal guidelines.
Joint Base officials recently conducted sampling of the McGuire and Lakehurst drinking water systems. None of the McGuire system samples contained any detectable PFCs. Samples from the Helo and the Test system samples taken at Lakehurst did not contain any detectable PFCs. The deep well on the Lakehurst Hill system, which is the main water supply for that system, showed no detectable PFCs. Sampling of the four backup wells for the Hill system, which are shallow had PFCs detected at levels below the Lifetime Health Advisory (HA) level of 70 parts per trillion (ppt) established by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).
The Dix Main Public Water System was previously sampled for PFCs under the Unregulated Contaminant Monitoring 3 Rule in 2013, and no Perfluorooctane Sulfanate (PFOS) or Perfluorooctanoic Acid (PFOA) was detected. No further sampling is planned to be conducted on the main drinking water systems on McGuire, Dix or Lakehurst. Sampling of several shallow systems in the Dix Range area are scheduled to be completed in late October.
Air Force Civil Engineer Center officials recently collected approximately 160 groundwater samples and 30 surface water samples for PFCs at 21 sites at JB MDL as part of a base wide site inspection for PFCs. Preliminary sample results showed PFOS and PFOA in groundwater and some surface waters above EPA HA values. Validation of the sampling data is expected to be complete by the end of October.
JB MDL officials are working with EPA and state regulators to determine if the PFCs are a risk to off-base drinking water supplies. The investigation effort follows established federal environmental response guidelines.
"The Air Force is committed to protecting drinking water supplies,” said Col. Frederick Thaden, Joint Base MDL commander. "We are committed to quickly evaluating the data from the site inspection and working closely with regulators to determine if off-base drinking water supplies may be impacted."
There are currently no federal regulatory standards that have been issued for PFCs. In May 2016, EPA established lifetime HA levels of 70 ppt for PFOA and PFOS (individually or combined) in drinking water. New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection (NJDEP) officials developed a guideline for chronic (lifetime) exposures to PFOA of 40 ppt. NJDEP officials have also established an interim specific ground water criterion for Perfluorononanoic Acid (PFNA) of 10 ppt.
PFOS and PFOA are a component of aqueous film forming foam (AFFF), a type of fire-fighting foam that has been used by industry and the Air Force since 1970 to extinguish petroleum fires. The Air Force used this foam at crash sites, in fire training areas and some maintenance hangars at active, reserve, Air National Guard and former bases.
The Air Force is committed to eliminating long-chain PFCs, including PFOS and PFOA, from the AFFF inventory and transitioning to a more environmentally sound alternative. The replacement is scheduled to be complete service wide by 2017.
To better inform the public, the Joint Base will establish a PFC information webpage at www.jointbasemdl.af.mil. For more information, contact the JB MDL Public Affairs Office at (609) 754-2104.