The Navy is requesting property owner permission to sample private drinking water wells within a sampling area near Outlying Landing Field (OLF) Barin for per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances, or PFAS.
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This page is for OLF Barin, for information related to PFAS drinking water well sampling near other outlying landing fields (OLFs) operated by NAS Whiting Field or NAS Whiting Field click the links below:
OLFs in Florida
OLFs in Alabama
NAS Whiting Field
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Please visit our interactive website to view informational displays about ongoing drinking water sampling near NAS Whiting Field and the OLFs in Florida and Alabama:
www.whitingfieldpfas.com
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Property owners with a drinking water well in the sampling area may call 844-NASWFLD (844-627-9353) to schedule a sampling appointment. Appointments are currently being scheduled between the hours of 8:00 a.m. and 5:00 p.m. from Monday, August 3 through Wednesday, September 16, 2026 (additional times available upon request).
If you have questions about the drinking water sampling, please email: cnic_se_whtg_pao@us.navy.mil or call and leave a detailed message at 844-NASWFLD (844-627-9353). A Navy representative will return your call.
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WELCOME TO THE NAVY PAGE FOR PFAS AT OLF BARIN
HERE YOU WILL FIND INFORMATION ABOUT:
• What PFAS are and how PFAS have been released to the environment at OLF Barin
• PFAS releases at OLF Barin
• Private drinking water well sampling near OLF Barin
• Actions based on private drinking water sampling results
• Documents related to the private drinking water well sampling near OLF Barin
• Links for more information
INTRODUCTION
PFAS 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 because of the large amounts that have been manufactured and used. Once these compounds are released, many of them tend to stay in the environment for a very long time.
The most common activity that could have resulted in the historical release of PFAS to the environment at OLF Barin (Figure 1) is the use of firefighting foam (specifically, aqueous film-forming foam, or AFFF). Due to this historical use, PFAS are present in the groundwater on base and previously warranted the evaluation of nearby private drinking water wells located in the direction that the groundwater flows away from the base.
Figure 1 - OLF Barin
On April 26, 2024, the United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) published a National Primary Drinking Water Regulation (NPDWR) establishing nationwide drinking water standards for certain PFAS under the Safe Drinking Water Act. The regulation applies to public drinking water systems. Operators of public drinking water systems regulated by the National Primary Drinking Water Regulation have until April 26, 2029 to meet these standards. In September 2024, the Department of War (DoW) published “Prioritization of Department of Defense Cleanup Actions to Implement the Federal Drinking Water Standards for Per- and Polyfluoroalkyl Substances under the Defense Environmental Restoration Program,” which describes DoW’s plans to incorporate the EPA’s drinking water regulation into DoW’s ongoing PFAS cleanups and prioritize actions to address private drinking water wells with the highest levels of PFAS from DoW activities. Table 1 shows the DoW PFAS Interim Action Levels for Private Drinking Water Wells and EPA National Primary Drinking Water Regulation Levels.
Table 1 presents the DoW PFAS Interim Action Levels for Private Drinking Water Wells and EPA National Primary Drinking Water Regulation Levels. The DoW’s September 2024 memorandum can be found here.
Table 1: EPA NPDWR Levels for Public Water Systems and DoW PFAS Interim Action Levels for Private Drinking Water Wells
| PFAS |
EPA NPDWR Level for Public Water Systems |
DoW PFAS Interim Action Level for Private Drinking Water Wells1 |
| perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA) |
4 ppt |
12 parts per trillion (ppt) |
| perfluorooctane sulfonic acid (PFOS) |
4 ppt |
12 ppt |
| perfluorononanoic acid (PFNA) |
10 ppt |
30 ppt |
| perfluorohexane sulfonic acid (PFHxS) |
10 ppt |
30 ppt |
| hexafluoropropylene oxide dimer acid (HFPO-DA, or GenX) |
10 ppt |
30 ppt |
| hazard index for mixture of at least two of PFHxS, PFNA, HFPO-DA, and perfluorobutane sulfonic acid (PFBS) |
1 (no units) |
3 (no units) |
ppt = part(s) per trillion
1 These levels are based on current EPA NPDWR levels. If EPA updates applicable requirements, DoW will review and update its policy as appropriate.
PRIVATE DRINKING WATER WELL SAMPLING NEAR OLF BARIN
Certain PFAS have been detected in groundwater at OLF Barin and in private drinking water wells above the DoW PFAS Interim Action Levels for Private Drinking Water Wells. As a result of the detections at OLF Barin, sampling areas (Figure 2) were established 1 mile in the direction that groundwater flows away from the locations of these detections and subsequently expanded based on results for private drinking water wells sampled in those areas.
2026 PRIVATE DRINKING WATER WELL SAMPLING
At this time, the Navy is requesting property owner permission to sample private drinking water wells in the sampling areas near OLF Barin (Figure 2). Considering the levels in Table 1, the Navy has determined that the private drinking water well sampling area near OLF Barin should be expanded. Due to improvements in laboratory methods, the Navy is also requesting property owner permission to resample private drinking water wells that were sampled by the Navy before 2025. If your drinking water is provided by Riviera Utilities, the Navy does not need to sample your drinking water.
The samples will be sent to an accredited, independent laboratory. The laboratory will analyze for the presence of certain PFAS according to EPA-approved methods. The laboratory will then provide the Navy with preliminary results, after which the preliminary results will be validated by an independent third-party for quality assurance. Once the results are validated, they will be provided to property owners and tenants, approximately 3 months after sampling.
Figure 2 - Sampling Areas
PREVIOUS 2021 - 2025 PRIVATE DRINKING WATER WELL SAMPLING
Beginning in 2021, the Navy sampled private drinking water wells based on information available at that time about PFAS releases at OLF Barin. The 2021 sampling areas, shown in Figure 2, were established 1 mile in the direction that groundwater flows away from the known release areas and ultimately expanded based on results for private drinking water wells sampled in those areas. Table 2 provides a summary of the results of the sampling. Five properties sampled from 2021 through 2025 had detections of PFOA and/or PFOS above 70 ppt, the Navy’s action level at the time. These five properties have been connected to public water. Table 3 presents the PFAS results.
The Navy has re-evaluated the 2021 through the present private drinking water well results. Based on this information, the Navy has determined that private drinking water wells sampled near OLF Barin contain PFAS at or above the DoW PFAS Interim Action Levels for Private Drinking Water Wells or PFOA and/or PFOS above EPA National Primary Drinking Water Regulation Levels (Table 1). One additional property, sampled in 2026, had detections of PFOA and/or PFOS above 70 ppt, and the Navy has implemented an interim action to address PFAS in drinking water at this location. The Navy is requesting property owner permission to implement interim actions to address PFAS in drinking water at the locations where PFAS exceeds the DoW PFAS Interim Action Level for Private Drinking Water Wells (Table 2). The Navy will also offer to implement interim actions at locations where PFOA and/or PFOS exceed the EPA National Primary Drinking Water Regulation Levels.
Table 2: OLF Barin – 2021 through Present Private Drinking Water Well Results Summary
| Year |
Number of Wells Sampled |
Number of wells with no detections of PFAS with DoW PFAS Interim Action Levels for Private Drinking Water Wells |
Number of wells with detections of PFAS below the DoW PFAS Interim Action Levels for Private Drinking Water Wells |
Number of wells with detections of PFAS at or above DoW PFAS Interim Action Levels for Private Drinking Water Wells and PFOA and/or PFOS below 70 ppt* |
Number of wells with detections of PFOA and/or PFOS above 70 ppt* |
| 2021-present |
267 |
119 |
102 |
40 |
6 |
*70 ppt for PFOA and PFOS, individually or combined, was the Navy’s action level at the time of this sampling.
Table 3: OLF Barin – 2021 through Present – Private Drinking Water Well Results
ACTIONS BASED ON OFF-BASE DRINKING WATER SAMPLING RESULTS
The Navy will address PFAS in private drinking water wells in keeping with the DoW policies and the 2026 NDAA:
PFAS at or above the DoW PFAS Interim Action Levels for Private Drinking Water Wells (Table 1). The Navy will work with property owners to implement an enduring solution as soon as possible. Options for enduring solutions may include connection to public water or installation of a drinking water treatment system. For any drinking water wells with PFOA and PFOS, individually or combined, above 70 ppt, the Navy can provide bottled water for drinking and cooking to property owners or tenants until a more enduring solution is implemented.
PFOA and/or PFOS at or above the EPA National Primary Drinking Water Regulation Levels (Table 1). Where PFOS and/or PFOA levels in private drinking water exceed the EPA National Primary Drinking Water Regulation Levels due solely to Navy activities on its installation, the Navy will offer an enduring drinking water solution as soon as possible.
A summary of the Navy’s actions to address PFAS in private drinking water wells near OLF Barin is provided in Table 4.
Table 4: OLF Barin – Navy Actions to Address PFAS in Private Drinking Water Wells Summary
| Number of Wells Sampled |
Number of wells with no detections of PFAS |
Number of wells with detections of PFAS not requiring action |
Number of wells with detections of PFAS requiring action |
Number of wells with long-term solution complete |
Number of wells with short-term solution complete |
Number of well actions underway |
| 267 |
119 |
73 |
75 |
5 |
32 |
38 |
For final remedial actions, the Navy will address PFAS in private drinking water wells down to EPA National Primary Drinking Water Regulation Levels or background levels in accordance with Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act (CERCLA) requirements.
IDENTIFICATION OF PFAS RELEASES AT OLF BARIN
The Navy finalized a PFAS Preliminary Assessment (PA) in 2021 that identified areas where releases of PFAS may have occurred. Based on the results of the PFAS PA, the Navy completed a PFAS Site Inspection (SI). Sample collection and analyses of soil and groundwater were conducted from March 2022 to June 2023. PFAS were found in groundwater and soil at OLF Barin. The PFAS release areas investigated at OLF Barin are listed below and shown on Figure 3. Remedial investigations are ongoing at the following release areas:
- Site 19B - Crash Shack/Blockhouse (Former Hangar Maintenance Area)
- Site 24B - Abandoned Firefighting Training Area
- End of Runway 15/33 North - Foam Check and Crash Response Area
- End of Runway 9/27 East - Foam Check and Crash Response Area
- End of Runway 15/33 South - Foam Check and Crash Response Area
- End of Runway 9/27 West - Foam Check and Crash Response Area
The Navy will continue investigating PFAS at OLF Barin following the CERCLA process and will evaluate if actions are needed. To find out more about all of the environmental investigations at OLF Barin, visit https://www.navfac.navy.mil/NASWF.
Figure 3 - PFAS Release Areas at OLF Barin
OLF BARIN PRIVATE DRINKING WATER WELL SAMPLING DOCUMENTS - CURRENT INVESTIGATION
OLF BARIN PRIVATE DRINKING WATER WELL SAMPLING DOCUMENTS - PREVIOUS INVESTIGATION
ADDITIONAL DOCUMENTS
LINKS