Naval Weapons Industrial Reserve Plant Calverton

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Introduction

Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) are a family of thousands of different chemicals which have been widely used in industrial and consumer products since the 1950s. PFAS are man-made and have been used in many household and industrial products because of their stain- and water-repellent properties. PFAS are now present virtually everywhere in the world. The Navy and Department of Defense (DoD) have developed proactive policies to address past releases of PFAS, including perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA) and perfluorooctane sulfonate (PFOS), at installations nationwide.

The most common activity that could have resulted in the historical release of PFOA, PFOS, and other PFAS to the environment at Navy installations is the use of firefighting foam (specifically, aqueous film-forming foam, or AFFF) for testing, training, firefighting, and other life-saving emergency responses. Because of this historical use, there is potential for PFOA, PFOS, and other PFAS to be in the groundwater on current or former Navy property and may be present in nearby drinking water wells that are located in the direction that the groundwater flows away from these properties.

DoD, including the Navy, is moving toward complete removal of AFFF at its installations and transitioning to PFAS-free alternatives to AFFF. Until that transition is complete, the Navy will continue to use formulations that contain lower concentrations of PFOA and PFOS than many historical AFFF formulations and will continue to take steps to prevent or minimize additional release of firefighting foam to the environment.

Private Drinking Water Well Sampling at Former NWIRP Calverton (Figure 1)

PFOA and PFOS have been detected in groundwater at Former NWIRP Calverton above 70 ppt. When a known or suspected release of PFAS is identified on current or former Navy property and groundwater is used as drinking water, a sampling area is established 1 mile in the direction that groundwater flows away from a release area. The Navy offers sampling to all property owners whose property is within the sampling area and whose drinking water is supplied by a groundwater well.

Figure 1: Location Map of Former NWIRP Calverton

At this time, the Navy is only asking to sample drinking water wells located in the sampling areas (Figure 2). This includes all drinking water wells within the new 2024 sampling area and the 2016-2020 sampling area. Records indicate that some properties within the sampling areas (Figure 2) are provided drinking water by Riverhead Water District. If your drinking water is provided by a public water system, the Navy does not need to sample your drinking water. Property owners and tenants should contact Riverhead Water District with any questions regarding treatment and testing of publicly-provided drinking water.

Figure 2: Sampling Area

Actions Based on Private Drinking Water Well Sampling Results

The preliminary results from the private drinking water well sampling near Former NWIRP Calverton are expected approximately 30 days after collecting the samples. The Navy provides notification to the property owners and tenants of their drinking water results and any follow-up actions, if needed.

The Navy will provide bottled water for drinking and cooking to any property in the sampling area with a drinking water well that contains PFOA and/or PFOS above 70 ppt and does not have an alternate drinking water source available. The Navy will continue to provide bottled water until a permanent solution is implemented.

2016- 2020 Private Drinking Water Well Sampling

The Navy conducted private PFAS drinking water well sampling from 2016-2020 based on information that was available at that time regarding potential releases of PFAS at Former NWIRP Calverton. The 2016-2020 sampling area, shown in Figure 2, was established 1 mile in the direction that groundwater flows away from the release areas. Table 1 provides a summary of the results of the sampling. Table 2 presents the PFOA, PFOS, and PFOA+PFOS results. There were no detections of PFOA and/or PFOS above 70 ppt.

2024 Private Drinking Water Well Sampling

In 2023, the Navy obtained additional information about detections of PFOA and PFOS above 70 ppt and groundwater flow at Former NWIRP Calverton. Based on this additional information, the Navy established the new 2024 sampling area 1 mile from detections of PFOA and/or PFOS above 70 ppt in the direction that groundwater flows away from these detections (Figure 2).

Records indicate that Riverhead Water District provides drinking water for the majority of properties within the 2024 sampling area; however, some properties within the sampling area may use a well for drinking water. If your drinking water is provided by Riverhead Water District, the Navy does not need to sample your drinking water. The Navy is requesting property owner permission to sample drinking water wells in the 2024 sampling area to determine if PFOA and PFOS, individually or combined, are above 70 ppt. The Navy is also requesting property owner permission to sample any drinking water wells within the 2016-2020 sampling area whether or not these wells have been previously sampled by the Navy.

There is no regulatory requirement to conduct this drinking water sampling. The Navy is conducting the sampling in collaboration with partners such as the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation and New York State Department of Health.

Identification of PFAS Releases at Former NWIRP Calverton

A PFAS Preliminary Assessment (PA) was finalized in 2021 (Tetra Tech, 2021). Based on the results of the PFAS PA, a PFAS Site Inspection (SI) was completed (Tetra Tech, 2023). The PFAS SI field activities were conducted from January 2019 to March 2022. PFOA and/or PFOS were found in groundwater above 70 ppt at Former NWIRP Calverton. The PFAS AOCs investigated at Former NWIRP Calverton are depicted on Figure 3; Table 3 lists the release areas investigated during the SI along with the recommended path forward:

Figure 3: Release Areas

 

RI - Remedial Investigation
TBD - To Be Determined
N/A – Not Applicable
NFI - No Further Investigation

Former NWIRP Calverton Drinking Water Sampling Documents

• NWIRP Calverton Open House Posters

• NWIRP Calverton Drinking Water Investigation Fact Sheet

• Homeowner Questionnaire and Drinking Water Sampling FAQ

• Draft PA

Additional Documents

• ATSDR – PFAS Overview

• ATSDR – PFAS Health Effects

• ATSDR PFAS Frequently Asked Questions

• ATSDR – PFAS and Breastfeeding

Links

• Assistant Secretary of the Navy PFAS website

• DoD PFAS website

• EPA PFAS website

• ATSDR PFAS website