Jacksonville, FL – The Navy will be testing for potentially harmful chemicals in drinking water wells on and around Naval Air Station Jacksonville.
The Navy says the PFAS do not absorb well in to the ground, and can therefore make it into groundwater.
While the chemicals are not regulated, the Navy says the EPA is studying whether they should be.
They say surface water and shallow groundwater is not used for drinking, and the investigation of that groundwater contamination is ongoing.
Drinking water for the base is provided through two sources, according to NAS Jax- three deep wells from the Floridan Aquifer, and a connection from JEA.
NAS Jax says those sources are regularly tested, including for some unregulated contaminants like the ones in question here.
NAS Jax says the testing has shown “non-detect” amounts of these chemicals, or levels below the EPA advisory.
The Navy is now requesting permission from nearby private property owners, in order to sample their drinking water wells.
via NAS Jacksonville via NAS Jacksonville Sampling is not needed for homeowners in these areas served by JEA, because JEA testing has already come back as “non-detect”.
If this new well testing finds a potentially unsafe level of these chemicals, NAS Jax says the Navy will provide alternate drinking water to those affected, including bottled water, until a long term solution is implemented.