On-Base DoD-Owned and Operated Drinking Water Systems
DoD provides drinking water to approximately 2 million people on its installations worldwide. In furtherance of our commitment to protect the health of our Service members, their families, and the DoD civilian workforce, the Department tested its DoD-operated drinking water systems and took immediate action at all locations that tested above EPA’s lifetime Health Advisories (HAs) to reduce levels to below the HAs. DoD follows EPA’s recommended actions, which include treatment of drinking water; closing drinking water wells; providing alternative water supplies, such as bottled water; and connecting residents to alternate drinking water systems. In cases where DoD purchases drinking water, installations that identified drinking water systems where the results were above the EPA HA level worked with the drinking water supplier(s) to encourage appropriate actions.
DoD is ensuring a consistent approach to continued testing of on-base drinking water across DoD so that no one on-base is exposed to PFOS or PFOA above the EPA HA levels in drinking water. The Department issued a policy in March 2020 for continued periodic testing of DoD-operated drinking water systems for certain PFAS, including PFOS and PFOA. The Military Departments will resample periodically based on the results. For consistency across the nation, in July 2020 the Department also issued a policy for monitoring drinking water at installations where we purchase drinking water.