The U.S. Air Force has agreed to treat two more contaminated wells on the former Pease Air Force Base.
That’s in addition to the Haven well, which the Air Force agreed to treat back in August. That well tested above the EPA’s provisional health advisory level for perfluorochemicals, which had leached into the water from firefighting foam used on the base.
Now, after urging from the community and EPA, the Air Force will treat the Harrison and Smith wells, which test positive for the chemicals, but below the EPA’s threshold for the contaminants.
Chief of the Air Force’s BRAC division , Steve TerMaath, says the Air Force had to justify the issue within the Air Force’s larger mandate. “We reached that conclusion,” he says, “that there’s sufficient uncertainty with regard to that contamination at the Harrison and Smith wells as to where its coming from, and that the levels might rise unexpectedly.”
TerMaath anticipates all three wells will be fully operational within 18 months.
