WRIGHT-PATT WELLS PUMPING AGAIN WITH NEW FILTERS

Contamination forced shutdown of wells at Wright-Patt in May 2016.

— Two tainted drinking water wells that serve thousands at Wright-Patterson started pumping water in June after a more than year-long shut down, an environmental official says.

The latest drinking water samples pumped out of the two tainted wells show the treated water has nearly “non-detectable” indicators of contaminants typically found in firefighting foam, according to Raymond F. Baker, 88th Civil Engineer Group branch chief.

Crews built a $2.7 million water treatment system that uses charcoal filters to strip contamination out of the water. Two groundwater production wells in Area A exceed U.S. Environmental Protection Agency health advisory limits of 70 parts per trillion for lifetime exposure to perfluooctanoic acid, or PFOA, and per flu oroc tanesulfonic acid, or PFOS, results show. The contaminants typically have been found in fire-fighting foam sprayed at Wright-Patterson, officials have said.

Before treatment, one well show contaminant levels around 700 parts per trillion and the second at about 200 parts per trillion, Baker said Thursday. Wright-Patterson started pumping drinking water out of the wells on June 2, he said. Contamination forced shutdown of the wells in May 2016. At the time, a health advisory was issued for pregnant women and infants.

The Miami Valley base has six drinking water wells in Area A that serve 16,500 people, according to Wright-Patterson spokeswoman Marie Vanover.