DOVER, Del.- The U.S. Air Force and Dover Air Force Base are advising Delaware agencies that levels of PFAS chemicals exceeding EPA health advisory have been found in four wells near the base.
The Delaware Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Control says the federal government's samples returned with elevated levels of perfluorooctane sulfonate (PFOS) and perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA).
The owners of the four wells, which provide water to a shopping center with five businesses, two homes, and an office building, were notified and provided with the bottled water by Dover AFB.
Tidewater Utilities sampled four on-base municipal supply wells and the off-base municipal supply well nearest the base. All of these wells draw water from a deep, confined aquifer, and there were no PFOS or PFOA detections in any of them.
PFOS and PFOA, are chemicals used in a variety of products that over time have become widely distributed in the environment. They have been found at Dover AFB and other air bases and airports in firefighting foam.
The USAF and EPA have been working with DNREC and DPH to determine the impacts of PFOS and PFOA on private wells in proximity to the base.
USAF officials say, "actions have been undertaken to ensure that drinking water at DAFB and the surrounding community is not impacted."
For general questions about health effects from and exposure to PFAS, call DPH at 302-745-4546.
For more information you can contact the 436th Airlift Wing, Public Affairs.