Marine Corps Logistics Base Barstow

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The Navy and Marine Corps are requesting property owner permission to sample private drinking water wells within a sampling area near Marine Corps Logistics Base (MCLB) Barstow for per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances, or PFAS.

Welcome to the Navy and Marine Corps page for PFAS at MCLB Barstow

Here you will find information about:

• What are PFAS and how have PFAS been released to the environment at MCLB Barstow?

• PFAS releases at MCLB Barstow

• Ongoing PFAS investigation on-Base and next steps

• Private drinking water well sampling near MLCB Barstow

  • Current (2026) private drinking water well sampling near MCLB Barstow

  • Previous (2017) private drinking water well sampling near MCLB Barstow

• Actions based on private drinking water sampling results

• Documents related to the private drinking water well sampling near MCLB Barstow

• Links for more information

Introduction

PFAS are a family of thousands of different chemicals that have been used since the 1950s 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 Navy, Marine Corps, and Department of War (DoW) have developed policies to address past releases of PFAS at installations nationwide.

The most common activity that could have resulted in the historical release of PFAS to the environment at MCLB Barstow (Figure 1) 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 historical use, PFAS are present in the groundwater at MCLB Barstow and have been detected in nearby drinking water wells that are located in the direction that the groundwater flows away from MCLB Barstow.

On April 26, 2024, the United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) published a final 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 NPDWR have until April 26, 2029, to meet these standards. In September 2024, the 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 presents the DoW PFAS Interim Action Levels for Private Drinking Water Wells, which are the levels that all of DoW, including the Navy and Marine Corps, are authorized to use to address PFAS in private drinking water wells.

The DoW’s September 2024 memorandum can be found here.

ppt = part(s) per trillion
¹These 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 MCLB Barstow

Certain PFAS have been detected in groundwater at MCLB Barstow and in private drinking water wells (Figure 2) above the DoW PFAS Interim Action Levels for Private Drinking Water Wells. As a result, a sampling area has been established 1 mile in the direction that groundwater flows away from the locations of these detections.

2026 Private Drinking Water Well Sampling

At this time, the Navy and Marine Corps are requesting property owner permission to sample private drinking water wells located in the sampling areas (Figure 2). If your drinking water is provided by Golden State Water Company or Daggett Community Services, the Navy and Marine Corps do not need to sample your drinking water.

Actions Based on Private Drinking Water Sampling Results

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

The Navy and Marine Corps will address PFAS in private drinking water wells in keeping with the DoW policies and the 2026 National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA):

PFAS at or above the DoW PFAS Interim Actions Levels for Private Drinking Water Wells (Table 1). The Navy and Marine Corps will work with property owners to implement an enduring solution as soon as possible. Options for enduring solutions may include connection to public water supply 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 and Marine Corps 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 NPDWR Levels (Table 1). Where PFOA and/or PFOS levels in private drinking water exceed the EPA NPDWR levels due solely to Navy and Marine Corps activities on the installation, the Navy and Marine Corps will offer an enduring drinking water solution as soon as possible.

For final remedial actions, the Navy and Marine Corps will address drinking water wells to EPA NPDWR or background levels in accordance with Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act (CERCLA) requirements.

2017 Private Drinking Water Well Sampling

In 2017, the Navy and Marine Corps sampled private drinking water wells based on information that was available at that time about PFAS releases at MCLB Barstow. The 2017 sampling area, shown in Figure 2, was established 1 mile in the direction that groundwater flows away from the release areas shown in Figure 3. Table 2 provides a summary of the results of the sampling. Table 3 presents the PFAS results. Combined concentrations of PFOA and PFOS were detected in one well above 70 ppt, the DoW action level at the time. As a result, the Navy and Marine Corps supplied bottled water to the property for drinking and cooking. The Navy and Marine Corps have re-evaluated the 2017 off-base private drinking water well results using the current DoW PFAS Interim Action Levels for Private Drinking Water Wells (Table 1) and are requesting property owner permission to provide alternative drinking water at the property sampled in 2017 where PFAS were detected at or above the DoW PFAS Interim Action Levels for Private Drinking Water Wells.
 

*70 ppt for PFOA and PFOS, individually or combined, was the Navy and Marine Corps’ action level at the time of this sampling.
 

*PFOA+PFOS is only calculated when both are detected. Table displays the highest calculated sum of PFOA and PFOS and corresponding individual PFOA and PFOS concentrations. For any private drinking water wells with PFOA and/or PFOS individually or combined above 70 ppt, the Navy and Marine Corps can provide bottled water for drinking and cooking until a more enduring solution is implemented.
** Hazard Index is calculated for HFPO-DA, PFBS, PFNA, and PFHxS when two or more of these compounds are detected in the sample. Table 3 displays highest calculated HI along with corresponding PFNA, PFHxS, HFPO-DA, and PFBS results for each drinking water source sampled. Calculated per USEPA recommendations (Maximum Contaminant Level Goals [MCLGs] for Three Individual Per- and Polyfluoroalkyl Substances [PFAS] and a Mixture of Four PFAS, 2024) as follows:  

J = estimated value
NA = not analyzed
NC = not calculated
ND = not detected
ppt = parts per trillion

Identification of PFAS Releases at MCLB Barstow

A PFAS Preliminary Assessment (PA) was finalized in 2019 (MMEC 2019) that identified areas where releases of PFAS may have occurred. Based on the results of the PFAS PA, a PFAS Site Inspection (SI) 2019 (Brady GCE 2019) was completed. Sample collection and analysis of groundwater, sediment and soil were conducted from October 2018 to December 2018. PFAS were found in groundwater and soil at MCLB Barstow. The PFAS sites investigated at MCLB Barstow are listed below and are depicted in Figure 3. Remedial investigations are ongoing at the following release areas:

The Navy and Marine Corps will continue investigating PFAS at MCLB Barstow following the Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act (CERCLA) process and will evaluate if actions are needed. To find out more about all of the environmental investigations at MCLB Barstow, visit https://go.usa.gov/xShC7.

MCLB Barstow Private Drinking Water Well Sampling Documents

Private Drinking Water Well Sampling Fact Sheet

Links

DoW PFAS website

EPA PFAS website

ATSDR PFAS website