Navy to begin testing for private drinking water wells

Press Release:

The Navy is seeking to sample private drinking water wells in designated areas near Naval Air Station (NAS) Corpus Christi, Naval Outlying Landing Field (NOLF) Waldron, and NAS Kingsville, Texas. These free tests are to determine whether certain chemicals used by the Navy in its activities on base have migrated through groundwater to private drinking water wells at levels greater than U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) health advisory levels.

The Navy will be holding Open House events, to inform the community of the sampling program and respond to questions from the public, as follows:

NAS Corpus Christi and NOLF Waldron

February 25 and 26, 2020 between 5:00 p.m. and 7:00 p.m.

New Life Church, South Campus

1241 Flour Bluff Drive, Corpus Christi, Texas 78418

NAS Kingsville

February 27, 2020 between 5:00 p.m. and 7:00 p.m.

Elks Lodge

1404 South 6th Street, Kingsville, Texas 78363

Also on hand at the Open House events and working in partnership with the Navy are representatives from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality, the Texas Department of State Health Services, the City of Corpus Christi and the City of Kingsville.

In May 2016, the EPA issued lifetime health advisory levels for two chemicals: perfluorooctane sulfonate (PFOS) and perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA).  The EPA’s health advisory level for lifetime exposure is 70 parts per trillion (ppt) for PFOS and 70 ppt for PFOA. When both PFOS and PFOA are found in drinking water, the combined concentrations should not exceed 70 ppt.  Although these health advisory levels are not enforceable regulatory standards, the Navy is seeking to identify private wells that have been impacted at levels greater than the lifetime health advisory levels.

PFOS and PFOA (two types of a class of chemicals collectively referred to as PFAS) are man-made chemicals persistent in the environment.  PFAS has been used since the 1950s in products that resist heat, stains, grease and water.  It has been used in a variety of products and substances such as non-stick cookware, food packaging such as microwaveable popcorn bags, and water-resistant textiles and sprays used to treat carpets and fabrics.  The most common historical Navy use of these chemicals has been through the firefighting agent, aqueous film forming foam (AFFF). 

More information about the Navy’s PFAS initiative and drinking water testing program at NAS Corpus Christi and NOLF Waldron may be found online at: https://www.cnic.navy.mil/regions/cnrse/installations/nas_corpus_christi.html or by contacting the Public Affairs Office at  361-961-2674 or email at nascc-pao@navy.mil. 

More information about the Navy’s PFAS initiative and drinking water testing at NAS Kingsville may be found online at: https://www.cnic.navy.mil/regions/cnrse/installations/nas_kingville.html or by contacting the Public Affairs Office at (361) 516-6500 or email kngv-pao@navy.mil.

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