Filtration A Centerpiece Of Air Force Water Cleanup

The U.S. Air Force and the Centers for Disease Control are monitoring the health of people exposed to water contamination on a former Air Force site in New Hampshire while officials rely on new water-filtration systems to clean up nearby water sources.

Air Force Secretary Deborah James weighed in on contamination around the now-shuttered Pease Air Force Base during a Senate Armed Services Committee hearing in March. James was responding to a question from Sen. Kelly Ayotte, R-NH.

James said, per a statement from Ayotte’s office: "Sometimes we as a country and as a military, in our efforts to protect people, sometimes communities get contaminated to a certain degree, and we regret it, and we stand by it and we are prepared to take the right action and clean it up. So, we have notified airmen, including former airmen, of what has happened so that they are aware of it.... We are going to clean the water, and we are also working with the CDC on the matter of developing a plan for health monitoring."

Haven well at Pease International Tradeport was closed “in May 2014 after the Air Force tested the well and found levels of perfluorooctane sulfonic acid (PFOS) 12.5 times higher than the EPA’s Provisional Health Advisory,” Sea Coast Online reported. “Air Force and EPA officials believe the contamination came from firefighting foam that was used on the base when it was an active military site,” the publication said in a previous report.

Filters are a centerpiece of the plan to fight contamination. Ayotte said the Air Force is installing a full filter system to restore local water quality.

After the recent committee hearing, Ayotte said in a statement: “I am pleased that the Air Force reiterated to me today that it will clean up the mess it created, which means installing a full filter system that restores the entire aquifer. I will continue to monitor this closely to ensure the Air Force honors that responsibility and commitment to the people of New Hampshire.”

Residents have been urged to use filters in their homes if their water tests high for contaminants.

“Residents with private wells contaminated by PFOS and PFOA above the EPA’s Provisional Health Advisory levels should find an alternate source of drinking water or install point-of-use treatment devices to filter their tap water. Filters containing activated carbon or reverse osmosis membranes have been shown to be effective at reducing PFCs in water supplies,” according to the New Hampshire health department.

After the base closed in 1991, the area later became a “superfund” site, qualifying the cleanup for federal attention and dollars. The base has exposed people to perfluorochemicals (PFCs). An Air Force report found that 454 civilians and 6,128 service members may have been exposed to PFCs on the base, according to Ayotte’s office.

“Wastes generated by the U.S. Air Force when the facility was active have contaminated soil, groundwater, surface water and sediment across the former base. The Air Force has completed cleanup work, and is currently monitoring progress until cleanup goals are met,” according to the U.S. EPA.