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Per- and Polyfluoroalkyl Substances, or PFAS, are a group of manmade chemicals used for a wide variety of residential, commercial and industrial purposes including: nonstick cookware, stain-resistant fabric and carpet, some food packaging and firefighting foam.
In 2016, the United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) established health advisory levels in drinking water for two types of PFAS - perfluorooctane sulfonate (PFOS) and perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA). The EPA established guidelines on June 25, 2024
PFOS and PFOA are components of legacy Aqueous Film Forming Foam (AFFF) that the Air Force began using in the 1970s as a firefighting agent to extinguish petroleum fires. AFFF was used extensively at Fairchild AFB from the 1970s until 2016 to fight petroleum fires.
In November 2015, more environmentally responsible AFFF formulas were added to the Department of Defense’s (DoD) qualified products list for firefighting agents. The Air Force began replacing both PFOS-based and other legacy AFFF products with a new, environmentally responsible formula in August 2016. The Air Force completed new foam delivery in August 2017.
PFAS dissolves easily in water and can travel with the groundwater. The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) issued a final National Primary Drinking Water Regulation (NPDWR) in 2024, establishing Nationwide drinking water standards for certain PFAS under the Safe Drinking Water Act (SDWA). The rule applies to public drinking water systems, which have five years to meet these standards. The issuance of DoD’s memorandum, “Prioritization of Department of Defense Cleanup Actions to Implement the Federal Drinking Water Standards for Per- and Polyfluoroalkyl Substances Under the Defense Environmental Restoration Program,” describes DoD’s plans to incorporate EPA’s PFAS drinking water levels into DoD’s ongoing PFAS cleanups and prioritize actions to address private drinking water wells with the highest levels of PFAS from DoD activities. Learn more about CERCLA.
For PFOS/PFOA contaminated wells located within the sampling area that have been sampled and tested above the EPA Lifetime Health Advisory (LHA) of 70 ppt, the Air Force is offering two options:
1. Connection to a municipal water supply
2. Installation of a Granular Activated Carbon (GAC) filtration system
Residential treatment systems are designed with three GAC filtration tanks for redundancy and increased safety. GAC removes contaminants, including PFAS compounds, from drinking water through adsorption. The systems also include particulate filters to remove any sediment/sand from the well, and an ultraviolet (UV) disinfection system for additional removal of bacteria and microorganisms. Sampling and routine maintenance of treatment systems is conducted quarterly. A 24-hour hotline is available for emergency repairs and response.
The Air Force has sampled many private drinking water wells in these areas over the last several years. Sampling is offered to residences with private wells used for drinking water located within the shaded areas of either map. To request sampling and to verify that your residence is eligible for sampling, please contact the Fairchild Air Force Base Public Affairs office at (509) 247-5705 between the hours of 8 a.m. and 4:30 p.m., Monday through Friday.
The Air Force will evaluate your situation to determine eligibility for sampling based on the location of your drinking water well in relation to the off-base contamination impacts and verify that your residence is within the area of concern. If your residence is eligible and has not been previously sampled, the residence will be added to the well sampling list and sampled as soon as practical. A copy of the sampling results will be provided to you. If contamination is found above the health advisory or drinking water standards, the Air Force will work with you to mitigate the contaminants in the well. Please note that all sampling and mitigation costs are paid for by the Air Force.
If you live in or have a business in the sampling area and are already in the Air Force testing program, you will receive a postcard in the mail notifying you that it's time for your reoccurring sampling. If you have not received a postcard, it is likely that you are not in an area where sampling is offered or your well doesn't require sampling this quarter. If you would like to check your eligibility for sampling and have not had sampling conducted previously, please contact Fairchild AFB Public Affairs at (509) 247-5705. We encourage everyone within the eligible areas that utilize a well for drinking water purposes to have their home or business tested.
The reoccurring sampling frequency for a private drinking water well is based on the sampling results. All locations are initially sampled.
If the result is above the trigger level, which is half of the Maximum Contamination Level (MCL), results will be provided to the public within 30 days. The EPA established MCL for five compounds: PFOA (4ppt), PFOS (4ppt), PFHxS (10ppt), PFNA (10ppt), and HFPO-DA (10ppt). Parts per trillion (ppt) is also known as nano grams per liter (ng/L). For the 2025 sampling period samples will be taken at all 92 Wing responsible locations on a semiannual - quarterly basis.
The Air Force Civil Engineer Center (AFCEC) is currently evaluating if additional sampling is needed based on hydrogeological data combined with the results from previous sampling rounds. If residents’ wells have not already been tested, it may be because they are not within the area determined to be at risk for possible Air Force-related contamination, or the well just has not been sampled previously.
If your drinking water well is within the sample area and you have not been contacted, please contact the Fairchild AFB Public Affairs office between the hours of 8 a.m. and 4:30 p.m., Monday through Friday at (509) 247-5705. Residents can also pursue private well sampling at their own expense. Information regarding private well sampling can be obtained by contacting the Spokane Regional Health District at (509) 324-1574.
Administrative Record Search Instructions
Trichloroethylene (TCE) is another chemical historically used at Fairchild AFB that has made its way into the environment. TCE can be found on-base in soils and groundwater, and just outside of the base boundaries in the groundwater to the north and east of the installation. TCE is a chlorinated solvent primarily used as a degreaser for metal products that is nonflammable and colorless, and at high concentrations, has an odor similar to ether or chloroform.
Like PFOS/PFOA, TCE dissolves easily in water and can travel with the groundwater, but differs in that it can degrade by natural processes. TCE is a common contaminant found in many places all around the world. Environmental professionals at Fairchild AFB have identified where TCE contamination is located on and off-base, and have taken steps to mitigate this compound in soil and groundwater.
The Air Force is not currently testing for TCE contamination. If you feel you live in an area with potential TCE contamination, please contact the Fairchild AFB Restoration Team at (509) 247-2450.
Trichloroethylene Information
(800) 426-4791
Dial: 211
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Region 10 Jaclyn Satira satira.jaclyn@epa.gov
Washington State Department of Ecology Jason Cook asco461@ECY.WA.GOV
Department of Defense (DoD)
Centers for Disease Control Agency for Toxic Substances & Disease Registry (CDC ATSDR)
United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)
Administrative Record
Video Instructions
(971) 770-1145