Naval Weapons Station Earle

Environmental Restoration Program Public Website

In April 2023, the Navy sampled drinking water wells near Naval Weapons Station (NWS) Earle
to test for certain per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances, commonly known as PFAS.
For questions about this sampling, please contact the NWS Earle Public Affairs Office at colt.wpnstaearlepao@navy.mil or (732) 866-2171.

Introduction

Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) are a family of thousands of different chemicals that 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. Once these compounds are released, they break down very slowly.

In May 2016, the United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) issued lifetime drinking water health advisories of 70 parts per trillion (ppt), individually or combined, for two PFAS, perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA) and perfluorooctane sulfonate (PFOS). Health advisories are not enforceable, and are not regulatory levels; rather, they are levels that provide Americans, including sensitive populations, with a margin of protection from a lifetime of exposure.

In June 2016, the Department of the Navy developed a proactive policy to ensure the communities near our installations are not exposed to drinking water with PFOA and/or PFOS because of a known or potential Navy release of PFAS-containing materials. The Navy’s first priority is to ensure that concentrations of PFOA or PFOS in drinking water are not above 70 ppt as a result of a Navy PFAS release. 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 base, and may be present in nearby drinking water wells that are located in the direction that the groundwater flows away from the release areas. Recently, the Navy released a new military specification for a formulation of AFFF that does not contain PFAS. Until products that meet this new military specification are available, the Navy currently uses formulations that contain lower concentrations of PFOA and PFOS than many historical AFFF formulations and has taken steps to prevent or minimize additional release of firefighting foam to the environment.

In January 2023, the Department of Defense (DoD) announced the release of a new military specification for firefighting foam. Until products that meet this new military specification are available, 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.

On March 14, 2023, the EPA proposed a draft regulatory drinking water standard for certain PFAS, including PFOA and PFOS. DoD has issued the following statement: “DoD respects and values the public comment process on this proposed nationwide drinking water rule and looks forward to the clarity that a final regulatory drinking water standard for PFAS will provide. In anticipation of the final standard that EPA expects to publish by the end of 2023, DoD is assessing what actions DoD can take to be prepared to incorporate EPA’s final regulatory standard into our current cleanup process, such as reviewing our existing data and conducting additional sampling where necessary. In addition, DoD will incorporate nationwide PFAS cleanup guidance, issued by EPA and applicable to all owners and operators under the federal cleanup law, as to when to provide alternate water when PFAS are present.”

Off-Base Drinking Water Sampling at NWS Earle (Figure 1)

PFOA and PFOS have been detected in groundwater at NWS Earle above 70 ppt. When a known or suspected release of PFAS is identified on a Navy installation 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 and tenants whose property is within the sampling area and whose drinking water is supplied by groundwater.

Figure 1: Location Map of NWS Earle

In 2015, early in the on-base investigation, PFOA and/or PFOS were detected in groundwater above 70 ppt at one release area, Site 46. As a result, an off-base sampling area was established in 2016 a half mile¹ in the direction that groundwater flows away from Site 46 (Figure 2). Off-base drinking water well sampling was conducted in 2016.

In 2021, as the on-base investigation continued, PFOA and/or PFOS were detected in groundwater above 70 ppt at two release areas, Site 46 and Building C-63 (Figure 2). As a result, off-base sampling areas were established in 2023 1 mile in the direction that groundwater flows away from these two release areas. The Southwest Sampling Area is located in the direction groundwater flows off-base from Site 46, and the North Sampling Area is located in the direction groundwater flows off-base from Building C-63 (Figure 2). Off-base drinking water well sampling was conducted in 2023. Records indicate that some properties within the sampling areas are provided drinking water by NJ American. NJ American customers should contact NJ American with any questions regarding their drinking water.

¹ The half-mile sampling area was determined before Navy policy came out specifying that off-base drinking water sampling areas be determined as a distance 1-mile downgradient of known or suspected Navy PFAS releases.

Figure 2: 2016 and 2023 NWS Earle Off-Base Drinking Water Sampling Areas

Actions Based on Off-Base Drinking Water Sampling Results

The preliminary results from off-base drinking water sampling are expected approximately 30 - 60 days after collecting the samples. The Navy provides notification to property owners and tenants of their drinking water results and any follow-up actions, if needed. The Navy does its best to keep the testing results and property information confidential to the extent permitted by law. 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.

NWS Earle Off-base Drinking Water Sampling Results

Upon receipt of the preliminary results, the Navy called each property owner and tenant to notify them of their results. Final laboratory results are mailed to each property owner and tenant after all data are verified and final. Out of respect for privacy, individual results are provided only to each property owner and tenant.

Table 1 summarizes the drinking water sampling results, and Tables 2, 3, and 4 present the PFOA, PFOS, and summed PFOA + PFOS results for each sample collected in the 2016, 2023 North, and 2023 Southwest sampling areas, respectively. In Tables 2, 3, and 4, the results are listed from lowest to highest summed concentrations for each of the sampling areas. Figures 3, 4, and 5 show the numbers of samples collected and the ranges of detections of PFOA and PFOS in each of the sampling areas.

2016

In February 2016, the Navy began sampling drinking water wells within the 2016 sampling area. PFOA and/or PFOS were detected above 70 ppt in two drinking water wells, as shown in Tables 1 and 2 and Figure 3. Bottled water was provided to the two properties with PFOA and/or PFOS results above 70 ppt until they were connected to public water (NJ American) in December 2016.

2023

In April 2023, the Navy began sampling drinking water wells within the sampling areas near NWS Earle (Figure 2). PFOA and/or PFOS were not detected above 70 ppt, as shown in Tables 1, 3, and 4 and on Figures 4 and 5. Because PFOA and/or PFOS were not detected above 70 ppt in any of the sampled drinking water wells, bottled water was not provided to any property within the sampling areas.

Table 1. Off-Base Drinking Water Well Sampling Results Summary as of July 7, 2023

Sampling Area	Number of Wells Sampled	Number of Wells with No Detections of PFOA or PFOS	Number of Wells with Detections of PFOA and/or PFOS Below 70 ppt	Number of Wells with Detections of PFOA and/or PFOS Above 70 ppt
2016	29	23	4	2

2023 North	45	39	6	0
2023 Southwest	40	34	6	0

Table 2. 2016 Off-Base Drinking Water Well Sampling Results

Figure 3. 2016 Off-Base Drinking Water Well Sampling Results

Table 3. 2023 North Sampling Area
Off-Base Drinking Water Well Sampling Results (as of July 7, 2023)

Figure 4. 2023 North Sampling Area
Off-Base Drinking Water Well Sampling Results (as of July 7, 2023)

Table 4. 2023 Southwest Sampling Area
Off-Base Drinking Water Well Sampling Results (as of July 7, 2023)

Figure 5. 2023 Southwest Sampling Area
Off-Base Drinking Water Well Sampling Results (as of July 7, 2023)

Identification of PFAS Releases at NWS Earle

Site 46 was identified as a PFAS release area in 2015, and investigation of groundwater and soil is ongoing. Site 46 is currently in the Remedial Investigation phase.

Basewide Assessment: The basewide Preliminary Assessment (PA) completed in January 2020 at NWS Earle identified the following eight on-base areas, shown on Figure 6, where releases of PFAS may have occurred.

Site 3: Landfill Southwest of “F” Group
Site 4: Landfill West of “D” Group
Site 5: Landfill West of Army Barricades
Site 6: Landfill West of Normandy Road
Historical Fire Training Area (Location of Site 11 – Ordnance Disposal Area)
Site 13: Defense Property Disposal Office Yard Landfill
Building C-63: Hazardous Waste Storage Building
Site 49: Shed S-469 and Wooded Area

All of these areas are on the NWS Earle Mainside Area, except for Site 6, which is on the NWS Earle Waterfront Area.

Figure 6: PFAS Release Areas

In the summer of 2021, sample collection and analysis of groundwater was completed at these areas in support of a Site Inspection (SI). The Navy is currently evaluating what additional investigations are necessary.