CHESAPEAKE, Va. — The Navy is asking Chesapeake residents who live within a mile of the Northwest Annex to reach out and have their drinking water wells sampled for certain long-lasting synthetic chemicals.
The testing is for per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances, or PFAS — a combination of thousands of different chemicals that have been commonly used in household and industrial products for decades, particularly due to stain- and water-repellent qualities.
The chemicals tend to stick around for a long time. So the Navy and Department of Defense have developed policies to address past releases of PFAS at its installations nationwide.
At the Northwest Annex, the previous use of firefighting foam for testing, training, firefighting and other activities resulted in PFAS being present in the groundwater there, prompting the need to sample nearby drinking water wells located in the direction the groundwater flows away from the Northwest Annex.
The Northwest Annex includes various support services for the Navy, U.S. Coast Guard, Department of Homeland Security, U.S. Marine Corps Anti-Terrorism/Force Protection and NATO. It also operates the largest small-arms range facilities in Navy Region Mid-Atlantic.
In 2024, the Environmental Protection Agency released new regulations and standards for PFAS in drinking water as part of the Safe Water Drinking Act. Also in 2024, the DOD published plans about ongoing PFAS cleanups, with priority to address private drinking water wells with the highest levels from military activities.
Exposure to certain levels of PFAS has been linked to various cancers, including prostate, kidney and testicular. It could also decrease fertility, cause developmental effects in children and weaken the immune system.
The Navy tested homes near Northwest Annex in 2019, and none met the levels that called for remediation, according to the Environmental Restoration Program. But now armed with new standards, the Navy is again testing homes within a mile-stretch along the Northwest River and near the Virginia state line, including those examined in 2019. The Navy already has determined one home tested in 2019 reached a level that calls for an “enduring solution.”
The Navy has offered similar testing for residents near St. Juliens Creek Annex in Chesapeake.
Appointments can be made and eligibility can be determined by calling 833-692-6639. More information can be found here.
Preliminary sample results are expected within 30 days of collection. The Navy will follow up with property owners and address next steps if needed, which could involve an “enduring solution” like the installation of a drinking water treatment system if levels are detected above 70 parts per trillion.
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