The Air Forced just released the test results for PFAS at private and municipal supply wells near the southeast corner of George AFB, where the production wells for George AFB were located. ALL of the wells that were tested had detectable levels of PFAS, and one well exceeded the US EPA health advisory (HA) level of 70 ppt. These results are significant because, according to the Air Force, it stopped disposing of Firefighting Foam in Landfill-1 (L-1) in approximately 1978, and 40 years later, unsafe levels of PFAS are still leaching out of the site and impacting the supply wells that are downstream of the site. The Air Force failed to test the old production wells for George AFB, and one can only speculate what the PFAS levels were in those wells when the base was active.
- AF FOIA response – PFAS testing results GAFB VVWRA Adelanto private wells
- Lahontan Regional Water Quality Control Board PFAS testing results
George Air Force Base disposed of Firefighting Foam in Landfill-1 (L-1). L-1 is located south of Air Base Road in the Southeast Disposal Area (SEDA) and about a ¼ mile upstream of the old Drinking Water Supply Wells for George AFB, Adelanto, CA, several homes, and the former Victor Valley Country Club. Unfortunately, the groundwater flows northeast from the SEDA directly toward these drinking water supply wells creating a potential Exposure Pathway for PFOA and PFOS (PFAS) to tens of thousands of civilians, and military personnel and their family members (spouses, children, and developing fetuses) over the years.
In 1970, the Air Force began using the firefighting agent Aqueous Film Forming Foam, or AFFF, which contains both PFOS and PFOA. The Air Force began replacing legacy AFFF with a new, environmentally responsible firefighting foam in August 2016. The replacement foam, Phos-Chek 3 percent, six carbon chain AFFF is PFOS-free and contains only trace amounts of PFOA.
Source
By 1995, the U.S. Department of Defense employees knew firefighting foams used across the country could potentially contaminate drinking water sources with perfluorinated chemicals, according to documents reviewed by this news organization.
Source: “Foam and the Environment: A Delicate Balance”
However, the Air Force did not test for PFOA and PFOS at former fire training areas at George AFB until 2015. As of 11/19/2017, the Air Force has not tested for PFOA and PFOS in the soil and groundwater of the SEDA or the old supply wells for GAFB, Adelanto, and the private wells that are downstream of the SEDA.
Firefighting Foam SEDA – GAFB Final Environmental Impact Statement – May 1990 – PDF
Final Perfluorinated Compounds Site Investigation Report, George Air Force Base, File 1 of 2 – (PDF 25.976 MB)
Final Perfluorinated Compounds Site Investigation Report, George Air Force Base, File 2 of 2 – (PDF 6.78 MB)
Questions about the Final Perfluorinated Compounds Site Investigation Report
Perfluorinated compounds (PFCs or what is now called PFOA and PFOS) were detected in the soil and groundwater at and the fire training areas at the former George AFB in 2015 and reported in November 2016. A review of the results of PFC sampling conducted by the City of Adelanto Public Water System as part of the Unregulated Contaminant Monitoring Rule Number 3 (UCMR3) showed no PFC detections. Because there were no PFC detections, the groundwater exposure pathway for PFCs is not considered complete. Page 20
The Air Force was directed to determine if a PFOA or PFOA completed exposure pathway (CEP) existed at the former George AFB.
- At George AFB, 14 of 22 monitoring wells tested for PFOA or PFOA were above the 70 parts per trillion (ppt) limit with readings as high as 5,396 ppt at the fire training area.
- The Air Force and the contractor did not test for PFOA and PFOS in the soil and groundwater at the known unlined dumpsite for Fire Fighting Foam located in the Southeast Disposal Area (SDEA).
- The Air Force and the contractor did not test the old supply wells for George AFB, the City of Adelanto, and the private supply wells that are less than 1/4 mile downstream of the dumpsite for PFOA and PFOS.
- The Air Force and the contractor did not test for PFOA and PFOS of the private wells at several homes, that were demolished by the Air Force in the 1990s, located just north and downstream of the fire training area.
- As of 10/15/2018, the Air Force has to provide a PFOA and PFOS groundwater contamination plume map.
Studies indicate that exposure to PFOA and PFOS over certain levels may result in adverse health effects, including developmental effects to fetuses during pregnancy or to breastfed infants (e.g., low birth weight, accelerated puberty, skeletal variations), cancer (e.g., testicular, kidney), liver effects (e.g., tissue damage), immune effects (e.g., antibody production and immunity), thyroid effects and other effects (e.g., cholesterol changes). To learn more about the underlying studies for the health advisories, see EPA’s Health Effects Support Documents for PFOA and PFOS.
Source
Some PFAS accumulate in the human body, and the levels decrease slowly over time. The ability of these compounds to be stored in the body, also known as body burden, increases concerns about the possible effects on human health.
Some, but not all studies in humans have shown that certain PFAS may:
- affect the developing fetus and child, including possible changes in growth, learning, and behavior.
- decrease fertility and interfere with the body’s natural hormones,
- increase cholesterol,
- affect the immune system, and
- increase cancer risk.
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