Navy addressing 'forever chemicals' leaking from Pensacola-area bases to private water wells

Pensacola News Journal | May 5, 2025

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"In response to new national drinking water standards, the U.S. Navy is preparing to address PFAS in private drinking water wells near Naval Air Station Pensacola, Corry Station and Saufley Field beginning in May.

The Navy is requesting property owners' permission to sample certain drinking water wells for per- andpolyfluoroalkyl substances, or PFAS, within a designated sampling area. The Navy is also requesting permission to implement "interim actions" to address PFAS in private drinking water wells, which may include connection to public water or installation of drinking water treatment systems.

PFAS are a family of thousands of different chemicals that have been widely used in many household and industrial products since the 1940s. Scientific research suggests that exposure to certain PFAS may lead to adverse health outcomes including increased risk of some cancers, reduced ability of the body’s immune system to fight infections, and developmental effects or delays in children, according to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency."