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AFCEC releases latest PFOS/PFOA results, offers well sampling for residents in current sampling areas

  • Published
  • 92nd Air Refueling Wing Public Affairs
FAIRCHILD AIR FORCE BASE, Wash. --  As water-well sampling for Perfluorooctanesulfonate (PFOS) and Perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA) continues, Air Force Civil Engineer Center officials began conducting face-to-face notifications yesterday to inform approximately 40 residents of sampling results from testing that began the week of Aug. 7.

AFCEC has also released a map of past and current testing areas. Residents in the current sampling areas who have not been contacted for water sampling are asked to call the 92nd Air Refueling Wing Public Affairs Office at 509-247-5705 or 92arw.pa@us.af.mil.

Testing continues in two areas: immediately northwest of the phase three sampling area, which was north of the base, and east to the City of Airway Heights, where sampling is taking place roughly one mile south and two miles north of Highway 2.

So far in the current sampling area, 27 wells did not have any detectable levels of PFOS/PFOA, 12 wells had detectable levels below the EPA health advisory, and one was found to have PFOS/PFOA concentrations above the Environmental Protection Agency’s lifetime HA of 70 parts per trillion for drinking water during the latest testing phase. The Air Force is providing bottled drinking water to residents above the HA.

“While AFCEC continues testing wells in the current sampling areas, we will fulfill our commitment of releasing information to our neighbors as soon as we receive it,” said Col. Ryan Samuelson, 92nd Air Refueling commander. “We welcome residents to continue contacting us with any questions or concerns as we work with community and regulatory partners to understand the scope and source of this issue.”

PFOS/PFOA are classified by the EPA as unregulated emerging contaminants and are present in common household items and heat and fire resistant products. The EPA issued updated PFOS/PFOA lifetime HA levels in May of 2016.

The Air Force looks to the EPA for standards and guidance on environmental issues, and will continue taking proactive steps to protect communities from negative impacts of mission areas.

Information about the Air Force’s environmental stewardship programs, PFOS/PFOA contaminant testing and the map of testing areas can be found on Fairchild’s website at www.fairchild.af.mil.

Please direct all other questions or concerns to Fairchild’s Public Affairs office.