However, two drinking water wells in the base’s Hill system, which serves about 3,000 people on the Lakehurst portion, tested at 215 parts per trillion in December.
But a review of water pumping records by this news organization showed the two "backup" wells provided about 15 percent of water to the Hill system from 2007 to 2016.
From May 2014 to April 2015, records show the two contaminated wells supplied about three-quarters of the water in that system.
The Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry, the arm of the CDC responsible for investigating potential toxic exposures at federal sites such as military bases, said in an email that it hasn’t looked at potential exposure to PFOA and PFOS “because we didn’t have the data to evaluate these contaminants.” After PFOA and PFOS contamination issues were found at a former military base in Warminster, Pennsylvania, the agency conducted a health assessment to determine that the perfluorinated chemicals posed a “public health hazard in the past.” Asked about doing a similar analysis at the joint base, the agency wrote that its “main role, currently, has been to provide health education related to (PFOS and PFOA) exposure.” On the state level, Health Department spokeswoman Nicole Kirgan said in an email: "The New Jersey Department of Health has not been involved with this site, as this is a federal Department of Defense site and falls under federal oversight."
Pumping records from the base showed the two contaminated wells were taken offline in November 2015 and not used again until they were tested for the chemicals in October 2016.
There is no indication why that happened.
David Kluesner, chief of public outreach for the EPA’s Region II office, wrote in an email: “At this time, it is unknown why the wells were taken out of service.” He also said the agency was working with the military, DEP and CDC to “evaluate all relevant information.” The base’s pumping records also showed the two contaminated wells were first sampled in October 2016, when they were pumping only a small amount of water.
Those tests showed no contamination.
Asked whether the DEP staff would review the pumping records to ensure proper testing, press officer Larry Hajna said in an email: “In general, any time a water system encounters an issue with elevated levels of contaminant for which there is no (legal limit), we recommend that the operator take steps to mitigate, such as using the well only if necessary and blending with other water.
Asked the same question about pumping records, the EPA’s Kluesner wrote, “Currently, the Air Force is investigating PFOA/PFOS contamination at the site, and all appropriate information, including the pumping records, will be considered in the evaluation.” When asked if it’s possible the chemicals may migrate from the closed wells to other area wells, he wrote, “The investigation of contamination at this site is in its early stages, and the focus is on determining if drinking water wells are impacted now.” Hajna did not answer that question for the DEP.

Charleston Gazette-Mail CHARLESTON, W.Va. — West Virginia State University has sued Dow Chemical and former operators of the Institute chemical plant, alleging that the facility has contaminated the groundwater under the university’s campus.
University officials insist the contamination poses no health risks — the campus does not use groundwater for its drinking water.
The lawsuit, filed Thursday in Kanawha Circuit Court, seeks to force the companies to clean up the contamination, prevent future migration of the chemicals and compensate the university, a historically black institution, for harm to its image in the public and potential students.
“It is my hope that Dow will come to the table and take full responsibility for the mess it created,” Jenkins told reporters.
University officials and lawyers say three contaminants have been found at “elevated levels” in the groundwater 15 to 50 feet beneath the campus.
The chemicals are 1,4-dioxane, 1,1-dichloroethane and chloroform.
It was not clear which of the various chemical units that operated over the years at the plant led to the groundwater contamination.
University officials say they learned of the contamination about four years ago, when they took ownership from the state of the former West Virginia Rehabilitation Center, located between the campus and the chemical plant.
Six years ago, then-plant owner Bayer CropScience eliminated MIC manufacturing, use and storage at the plant following a U.S. Chemical Safety Board report that was highly critical of plant operations and a major change in the company’s global marketing strategy.
Union Carbide, once a major institution in the Kanawha Valley, operated the Institute plant from 1946 until it sold the site to Rhone-Poulenc, a French firm, in 1986.

No water contamination for BBP.
A boil advisory issued mid-week for BBP Water customers west of Spencer should be lifted Saturday.
The first set of lab results from Friday morning came back negative.
The precaution was taken by the local non-profit water company in the event customers did encounter contamination at the tap, but BBP Water General Manager Dan Dalton said the precaution was just that, a precaution and not due to any known contaminants.
"As soon as we get the second lab results we will ask 97.7 radio to do an all clear as well as on our web page, social media, and automated calls," he said.
A 3 a.m. water break last Wednesday came at the most inopportune time for BBP, as the water company had just drained a water tower in the impacted service area for routine maintenance the day prior.
Dalton said the main break caused a heavier strain on a portion of the system and led to the precaution taken to advise customers residing in the areas of Patricksburg and Bowling Green they may want to let their water run and boil it if they notice anything out of normal.
Michael Stanley can be reached at michael@spencereveningworld.com.

WVSU files lawsuit against Dow Chemical for water pollution.
INSTITUTE, W.Va. — West Virginia State University announced Thursday it has filed a lawsuit against Dow Chemical Company and other former owners of Dow’s Institute plant for underground water contamination on the university’s campus.
“While there is no threat to the health, wellness or safety to the students, faculty and staff, Dow contamination of our campus has potentially adversely impacted the brand, reputation, use of future property, the cost of future construction and potential enrollment growth here at the institution,” Jenkins said during a Thursday press conference at the university.
The discovery was made about four years ago.
He said Enviroprobe and Dow collected about 150 samples of groundwater, soil gas, surface soil and air on campus.
Moore said the chemicals have moved beyond the rehab center property.
“Groundwater has been shown to extend eastward from their facility across and onto the rehab property and onto the main campus,” he said.
Jenkins said the rehab property represented the future of the university because it was the only land available for significant growth, such as the construction of residential units or the rebuilding of a new rehab center.
In a letter to university students, faculty and staff, Jenkins said groundwater is not used at the university and that all of their water comes from the municipal water supplied by West Virginia American Water Company.
More information about court documents and testing data can be found here.

West Virginia State University has sued Dow Chemical and former operators of the Institute chemical plant, alleging that the facility has contaminated the groundwater under the university’s campus.
University officials insist the contamination poses no health risks — the campus does not use groundwater for its drinking water.
The lawsuit, filed Thursday in Kanawha Circuit Court, seeks to force the companies to clean up the contamination, prevent future migration of the chemicals and compensate the university, a historically black institution, for harm to its image in the public and potential students.
“It is my hope that Dow will come to the table and take full responsibility for the mess it created,” Jenkins told reporters.
University officials and lawyers say three contaminants have been found at “elevated levels” in the groundwater 15 to 50 feet beneath the campus.
It was not clear which of the various chemical units that operated over the years at the plant led to the groundwater contamination.
University officials say they learned of the contamination about four years ago, when they took ownership from the state of the former West Virginia Rehabilitation Center, located between the campus and the chemical plant.
He said the administration waited to reveal the issue until it had conducted enough testing to be convinced there was no health concern and to be able to communicate that belief with its initial notification to students, faculty, staff and students.
Six years ago, then-plant owner Bayer CropScience eliminated MIC manufacturing, use and storage at the plant following a U.S. Chemical Safety Board report that was highly critical of plant operations and a major change in the company’s global marketing strategy.
Union Carbide, once a major institution in the Kanawha Valley, operated the Institute plant from 1946 until it sold the site to Rhone-Poulenc, a French firm, in 1986.

Former Air Force Base Contaminates Oscoda Water.
Water contamination is a major concern in Michigan, and Oscoda residents are feeling that concern heighten, after toxic chemical plumes were discovered spreading through the area’s groundwater.
This may be the first time many people are hearing about the issue, but Oscoda residents have been dealing with it since it was announced in February last year.
The contamination comes from per and poly–fluoroalkyl substances or PFA’s, which are a group of chemicals used in fire fighting foam.
PFA’s have been embraced as an extremely useful tool for firefighters, and defense crews, but now it’s looking like those same chemicals may have leaked from the former Wurtsmith Air Force Base nearby, endangering clean drinking water.
Last night, local, state and federal agencies appeared at a town hall meeting in Oscoda to update the community on steps being taken to identify what exactly the contamination means.
“At the time we started the contamination was not fully understood or controlled, the contamination is still not fully understood or controlled.
We’re getting there, but it does take time and it does take a lot of sampling efforts, readjusting where we need to focus on areas,” said MDHHS Toxicologist Christina Bush.
Bob Delaney, the Environmental Quality Specialist of Environmental Quality said before that can happen, they need to isolate affected areas.
At this time, the latest testing shows nearly all of the drinking water wells tested near the base have been below the health advisory levels.

Casella, DEP formalize agreement for new water line in Charlton.
Telegram & Gazette Staff @BLeeTG The towns of Southbridge and Charlton, along with Southbridge landfill operator Casella Waste Systems and the state Department of Environmental Protection on Wednesday signed an administrative consent order that calls for Casella and the state to each pay up to $5 million for a water line from Southbridge to a Charlton neighborhood with contaminated private wells.
As part of the agreement, Casella, doing business as the Southbridge Recycling & Disposal Park at 65 Barefoot Road, has withdrawn its request that Southbridge compensate Casella approximately $2 million for testing of groundwater and for bottled water the company has been providing to some Charlton residents.
Importantly, the agreement provides public water to residents affected by contamination, and officials in both towns are encouraging the Charlton residents to sign up for what will be free hookups to the system.
“I’ve never seen state government come in and so openly try to help towns,” Mr. San Angelo said.
Mr. San Angelo explained that Southbridge can borrow at a lower cost than the company.
Southbridge and Charlton already have an agreement for Southbridge to supply water to Charlton.
In a modification to the municipal agreement, Charlton will own all of the infrastructure for the water line into the Charlton neighborhood near the landfill.
Municipal water is the only feasible solution to the contamination in the neighborhood, eliminates every contaminant currently found in the private wells, and stops the contamination from spreading from our septic systems.
Further, it does nothing to address other neighborhoods in danger of being contaminated, and whose residents are not receiving municipal water, in Sturbridge in Southbridge, Mr. Jordan said.

Duke fracking study finds no contamination of ground water due to fracking.
CLARKSBURG — Fracking has not contaminated groundwater in Northwestern West Virginia, according to a recently released study by scientists at Duke University.
To conduct the study, Duke scientists worked with researchers from The Ohio State University, Pennsylvania State University and the French Geological Survey.
The researchers collected samples from 112 drinking wells in the northwestern region of the state over the course of three years.
Vengosh said the researchers designed and built their own specialized tools to detect a vast array of contaminants, including salts, trace metals, methane and propane.
“They are kind of a forensic tracer to detect whether or not there is an impact of shale gas and fracking on groundwater quality.” The analysis showed that methane and saline were present in both the pre-drilling and post-drilling wells, but that their chemistry was different than that of chemicals used in fracking fluids and shale gas, Vengosh said.
“We found a high level of natural gas and saline in groundwater, but we found that those were naturally occurring and not related to fracking,” he said.
“That’s something you don’t want to have in your home.” Anyone who is concerned about the quality of their well water should have it professionally tested, Vengosh said.
That was due to how the particular wells were constructed, Vengosh said.
“Apparently they did a much better job in West Virginia.” Anne Blankenship, executive director of the West Virginia Oil and Gas Association, said the results of the study were encouraging to professionals in her field.

Shorewood boil water advisory canceled.
Tests of Shorewood municipal water samples found "no indication of bacterial contamination" and the boil water advisory is canceled, Village Public Works Director Leann Butschlick said Wednesday.
The state Department of Natural Resources informed the village of the water test results late Wednesday afternoon, Butschlick said.
The village advised residents Tuesday morning to boil water or buy bottled water in the wake of a temporary 55% drop in pressure in village water distribution pipes.
State regulations require a municipality to test two samples of water for bacterial contamination before the water can be declared safe for drinking.
The drop in pressure was caused by maintenance work being done by Milwaukee Water Works crews on a water main along E. Locust St. between N. Farwell and N. Downer avenues.
After crews closed multiple valves in the main so the work could be done, "water pressure in the village dropped to an unanticipated level," Butschlick said.

Radioactive Contaminants Found in Earth’s ‘Pure’ Groundwater.
Pristine groundwater is vulnerable to modern-day pollution, and once contaminated, it could stay like that for as long as thousands of years.
Groundwater is usually found 820 feet under the Earth’s surface.
Given that they are found in the deepest parts of the Earth, they are also believed to be pure.
As such, it provides drinking and irrigation water for billions of people around the world today.
Results showed that traces of rain and snow mixed with tritium are present, indicating the presence of younger water.
As noted by Tech Times, the tritium contamination, although not at an alarming level, was seen at roughly 50 percent of the groundwater.
The result has perplexed the researchers, citing that it is almost implausible to think that groundwater as old as 12,000 years could be polluted by modern-day contaminants.
The researchers write that although the mechanism is not clear, the study revealed that young groundwater may introduce other contaminants (i.e., fertilizers, pesticides, and industrial runoff from the Earth’s surface) to ancient water through leaks and holes in wells, which people use to draw groundwater.
The findings were presented at a European Geosciences Union meeting in Vienna, Austria.