Fort Sill among installations where nearby water wells being tested for chemicals

WASHINGTON, D.C. — Fort Sill and McAlester Army Ammunition Plant are among nine Army sites where the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and the U.S. Army will be conducting a joint project to sample and test nearby private drinking wells.

The tests are for the presence of per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS), widely-used, long-lasting chemicals with components that break down very slowly. EPA officials said the effort will inform Army remedial actions if results indicate that PFAS is found in drinking water because PFAS contamination has spread and may potentially be impacting the drinking water wells of nearby residents.

The joint EPA-Army sampling and testing project, which is being implemented nationally, has identified a priority list of nine installations out of 235 locations, with other sites to include: Fort Novosel (Alabama); Fort Hunter Liggett – Parks Reserve Forces Training Area (California); Fort Stewart (Georgia); Fort Stewart – Hunter Army Airfield (Georgia); Blue Grass Army Depot (Kentucky); Fort Campbell (Kentucky & Tennessee); and Fort Liberty (North Carolina).

As initial work is completed, the EPA and Army will evaluate additional installations for expansion of the pilot, EPA officials said. EPA and the Army are working in partnership to identify next steps to ensure the public remains safe from exposure to PFAS potentially originating from these installations. This initial joint program is another step in EPA’s efforts to protect people from the health risks posed by exposure to “forever chemicals” in communities across the country, officials said.

“PFAS pose significant risks to drinking water supplies and public health, which is why the EPA and the Army are testing water from wells in communities near Army installations to determine if these dangerous forever chemicals are polluting drinking water,” said David M. Uhlmann, EPA’s assistant administrator for enforcement and compliance assurance. “Members of the military, their families, and surrounding communities deserve access to clean, safe drinking water. EPA welcomes the opportunity to share our expertise and work with the Army on this important project, which will help advance EPA’s PFAS National Enforcement and Compliance Initiative.”

Rachel Jacobson, assistant Secretary of the Army for Installations, Energy and Environment, said the Army launched a comprehensive program to identify potential PFAS releases at hundreds of Army and Army National Guard installations in 2017.

“These initial investigations, completed by the Army in 2023, were instrumental in narrowing the focus to 235 locations where we will proceed with more in-depth investigations,” Jacobson said, adding the Army already has begun more in-depth investigations at the nine pilot installations.

If the sampling indicates PFAS is present in groundwater or drinking water above the new Maximum Contaminant Levels (MCLs) established by EPA, the Army will work with EPA and state regulators to assess what additional actions are necessary to mitigate exposure.

Because of their widespread use and their persistence in the environment, PFAS are being found worldwide. PFAS have been found in groundwater and soil at many federal facilities, including at military sites, EPA officials said. The Army has used PFAS in various operations, including in foam to extinguish fires.

EPA and the Army will share information and update both EPA’s and DoD’s PFAS websites as information becomes available. For more information about PFAS, go aec.army.mil/PFAS.