2 Tucson wells near D-M base found tainted with toxic compounds

Toxic compounds that have commonly turned up in groundwater near military bases around the country have been found in two city wells just north of Davis-Monthan Air Force Base.
Tucson Water officials shut the wells off when the pollution was discovered.
That raises the possibility the pollution could ultimately spread farther north and west toward numerous other city wells in the midtown area’s central well field.
The contaminants in the wells are known as PFOS and PFOA.
Two samples taken last October and in March 2018 of the most contaminated well near the base contained more than 3,300 and more than 2,900 parts per trillion of the two compounds, respectively.
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency sets a health advisory of 70 parts per trillion for the compounds.
Tucson Water samples taken in February 2018 also found the compounds in eight south-side wells at levels above and below the EPA advisory level.
Those wells aren’t used for drinking either, Tucson Water says.
In March, the Military Times, a national, independent newspaper covering the U.S. military, reported that a Defense Department study concluded that water around at least 126 military installations nationally contained potentially harmfully concentrations of PFOA, PFOS and related compounds.
Before, the advisory level was 400 parts-per-trillion for PFOA and 200 for PFOS.

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