The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and the U.S. Army announced on July 26, 2024, a joint project to conduct sampling and testing of private drinking water wells located near army installations for the presence of per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS).
This effort will inform Army remedial actions if results indicate that PFAS is found in drinking water, because PFAS contamination has spread and may potentially be impacting the drinking wells of nearby residents.
The joint EPA-Army sampling and testing project, which is being implemented nationally, has identified a priority list of nine installations out of 235 locations. As initial work is completed, the EPA and Army will evaluate additional installations for expansion of the pilot.
The EPA and Army are working in partnership to identify next steps to ensure the public remains safe from exposure to PFAS potentially originating from these installations.
The installations scheduled for sampling under the program include:
- Fort Novosel (Alabama)
- Fort Hunter Liggett – Parks Reserve Forces Training Area (California)
- Fort Stewart (Georgia)
- Fort Stewart – Hunter Army Airfield (Georgia)
- Blue Grass Army Depot (Kentucky)
- For Campbell (Kentucky and Tennessee)
- Fort Liberty (North Carolina)
- Fort Sill (Oklahoma)
- McAlester Army Ammunition Plant (Oklahoma)
If the sampling indicates that PFAS is present in groundwater or drinking water above the new Maximum Contaminant Levels (MCLs) established by the EPA, then the Army will work with the EPA and state regulators to asses what additional actions are necessary to mitigate exposure.
