Public Disclosure of Results of Department of Defense (DoD) Testing of Off-Base Drinking Water in a Covered Area for Per- and Polyfluoroalkyl Substances (PFAS)
DoD conducts sampling of drinking water off-base to ensure the Department identifies potential impacts of PFAS resulting from DoD activities. Off-base drinking water includes non-DoD drinking water systems and private wells located outside the installation boundary. In accordance with Section 345 of the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2022, DoD is providing the final testing results for off-base drinking water located in “covered areas.” Covered areas are locations in the United States that are adjacent to and down gradient from a military installation, Formerly Used Defense Site (FUDS), or National Guard facility.
DoD has been actively testing and monitoring off-base drinking water since 2016. DoD’s priority is to quickly address levels of perfluorooctane sulfonate (PFOS) and perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA) in drinking water found above the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) 2016 lifetime drinking water Health Advisory (HA) levels. DoD’s actions are consistent with EPA’s recommended actions, which include treatment of drinking water or providing alternative water supplies, such as bottled water, implementing a whole-house filtration system, or connecting residents served by private wells to public drinking water systems.