At a glance
Region 3 covers the PFAS sites in Pennsylvania, Delaware, Virginia, and West Virginia. These assessment evaluations check for PFAS–containing aqueous film forming foam (AFFF) in drinking water. An overview appears below for each site.
Bucks County and Montgomery County Biomonitoring Pilot near Former Naval Air Station Joint Reserve Base Willow Grove, active Horsham Air Guard Station, and former Naval Air Warfare Center Warminster (PA)
Region 3 Contact
Michael Byrns, PhD
Regional Director
(404) 498-1681
ab79@cdc.gov
In 2018, the Pennsylvania Department of Health (PADOH) received a grant from the Association of State and Territorial Health Officials (ASTHO). This was with support from CDC/ATSDR for a pilot biomonitoring study. It used the CDC/ATSDR PFAS Exposures Assessment Technical Tools (PEATT).
PADOH implemented the PEATT Pilot Project in Montgomery and Bucks counties near the Willow Grove and Warminster sites, including the towns of:
- Ambler
- Chalfont
- Horsham
- Hatboro
- Warminster
- Jamison
- Warrington
- North Wales
PEATT used biomonitoring to characterize exposure in an affected population. It included a protocol for:
- Statistically based representative sampling.
- Risk communication materials.
- Questionnaires.
- Water sampling.
PADOH's work will ultimately contribute to the overall body of knowledge we have on PFAS. It will also refine what is needed to describe exposure in a community.
PADOH released the PEATT Pilot Project Final Report in April 2019. CDC and ASTHO are expanding the PEATT project to include further testing of the original PADOH PEATT pilot study participants and potential environmental exposures in the community. This will include urine, water, and household dust analyses.
Former Naval Air Warfare Center Warminster, Bucks County (PA)
Groundwater at the former Naval Air Warfare Center Warminster site is contaminated with PFAS. The past use of AFFF in the area is the source of this contamination.
The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and the Navy tested private drinking water wells in the Warminster, Ivyland, Warwick, Northampton and upper Southampton townships. Some wells are contaminated with PFAS. In 2016, ATSDR produced a letter health consultation that evaluated the available off-site water test results. The report is available, as is an Executive Summary.
ATSDR has worked with the Mid Atlantic Center for Children's Health and the Environment to answer health questions. This alliance also educated local health professionals about potential health effects caused by PFAS exposure.
In 2017, ATSDR collaborated with the Pennsylvania Department of Health (PADOH) to produce an initial review of the state cancer registry data for communities surrounding the site. In 2018, PADOH added pancreatic and pediatric cancers to the review. In May 2018, PADOH released cancer incidence reviews as an update of the 2017 report.
In 2018, with the support of CDC/ATSDR, PADOH received a grant from the Association of State and Territorial Health Officials to implement a pilot biomonitoring study using the CDC/ATSDR PFAS Exposures Assessment Technical Tools (PEATT). The report describing the study is available.
Former Naval Air Station Joint Reserve Base (NASJRB) Willow Grove and active Horsham Air Guard Station, Horsham, Montgomery County (PA)
Groundwater at the former Naval Air Station Joint Reserve Base Willow Grove and active Horsham Air Guard Station is contaminated with PFAS. Some private wells in Horsham, Warminster and Warrington are also contaminated with PFAS. The likely source is the past use of AFFF fire suppressant in the area.In 2016, ATSDR produced a letter health consultation that evaluated the available off-site water test results. The report and an Executive Summary are now available.
Drinking water is being treated to remove PFAS to levels that are below the EPA's new standards; the utilities continue to test for these substances. The Department of Defense asked the EPA to test private well water near the site.
EPA asked ATSDR to evaluate PFAS water sampling results in the public and private wells. ATSDR is preparing a written report that evaluates public and private drinking water sampling data near the site.
Answering the community's questions and educating local health professionals about possible health effects caused by exposure to PFAS is a priority. ATSDR has worked with the Mid Atlantic Center for Children's Health and the Environment to provide this information.
In 2017, ATSDR collaborated with the Pennsylvania Department of Health (PADOH) to produce an initial review of the state cancer registry data for communities surrounding the site. The PADOH cancer incidence reviews can be found at on PADOH's website.
In 2018, PADOH added pancreatic and pediatric cancers to the review. In May 2018, PADOH released an update of the 2017 report.
That same year, with the support of CDC/ATSDR, PADOH received a grant from the Association of State and Territorial Health Officials to implement a pilot biomonitoring study using the CDC/ATSDR PFAS Exposures Assessment Technical Tools (PEATT).
The final health consultation on the evaluation of PFAS in Public and Private Drinking Water Wells at Willow Grove was released March 13.
Wallops Flight Center – NASA (VA)
The NASA Wallops Flight Center is on Wallops Island, VA, near the Town of Chincoteague (ToC). Two of the three ToC shallow wells and the deep well adjacent to them, were contaminated with PFAS levels above the 2016 EPA Health Advisory PFAS and PFOA. These wells are no longer being used for drinking water. Samples collected between the NASA fire training area and a residential community west of the facility contained traces of PFOA and PFOS that were below the HA.
NASA and ToC water supplies are routinely tested. NASA installed a PFAS treatment system in 2022 to remove PFAS from ToC drinking water. Sample results indicate there are no detectable levels of PFOA or PFOS in the finished ToC drinking water. NASA will:
- Continue to test for PFAS.
- Install groundwater monitoring wells to monitor PFAS levels in the shallow groundwater.
- These are located along the site boundary.
There are several oyster beds near the NASA Wallops Flight Facility. The local population is concerned that PFAS contamination might impact the oyster industry. Further PFAS environmental characterization work is in progress at this site. ATSDR was petitioned in 2019 to assess environmental exposures to PFAS and public health implications. ATSDR accepted this petition and is currently developing a health consultation document in response to this request.
US Naval Auxiliary Landing Field Fentress (VA)
In January 2016, the Navy sampled groundwater monitoring wells and on-base drinking water wells at Naval Auxiliary Landing Field Fentress (NALF). PFOS and PFOA were found in these wells.
The NALF drinking water supply wells were shut down, and the base was supplied with bottled water. Private wells located off-site were sampled, and some contained PFOS and PFOA above the EPA Health Advisory. The Navy is providing alternative water to residences with contaminated wells and is sampling the wells quarterly. The source of the PFAS is believed to be AFFF fire suppressant used for firefighting exercises at the site.
The Navy has installed 47 on-base groundwater monitoring wells to identify the area where groundwater is contaminated. They are also offering routine drinking water sampling until PFAS contamination in the area groundwater is understood. ATSDR and the Virginia Department of Health are providing health education and technical assistance.
Oceana Naval Air Station (NAS Oceana) (VA)
Groundwater at the NAS Oceana was tested for PFAS after it was detected at nearby Fentress. On-site sampling found the combined level of PFOS and PFOA exceeded the EPA PFAS and PFOA Health Advisory (HA).
Off-site sampling did not detect levels above EPA's HA. The source of the PFAS is believed to be AFFF fire suppressant used in training activities in the area. ATSDR is providing health education and technical support. In 2018, PFAS was found in one private well offsite; the Navy is now planning additional sampling.
Blades (DE)
The Blades Groundwater Site was added to the National Priorities List (NPL) in 2020. ATSDR is currently working on developing a document to assess community exposures to PFAS. In 2018, the Town of Blades, Delaware found PFAS in its three public water supply wells. The town added granular activated carbon (GAC) to its water treatment facility. Almost immediately non-detect levels of PFAS were reached in the finished drinking water.
The nearby Procino Plating facility is being investigated by EPA and the state. Operations at the site include ornamental plating with copper, nickel and chrome; silver and nickel plating; and fabrication and hard chrome plating of griddle tops. Residents adjacent to the west of the site use private wells for their drinking water. The site is located within the Wellhead
Protection Area for the Town of Blades water supply wells. The Town of Blades water supply wells are located approximately 1,300 feet north of the Procino Plating property.
PFAS were detected in a shallow well on the Procino Plating site and in nearby private water wells. EPA sampled 44 of these in 2018. A few test results exceeded the EPA health advisory for PFOA and PFOS. Residents whose homes were above the EPA health advisory were given a home carbon filtration system.
For more information, visit:
Naval Support Center Mechanicsburg (PA)
The Department of the Navy is evaluating PFAS contamination in groundwater at this location. It conducted an off-base PFAS private well sampling program in 2019. In the summer of 2019, 55 wells were sampled, with 54 of the 55 results below the 2016 U.S. EPA health advisory levels for PFOS and PFOA.
The Dept. of the Navy sampled private wells available through the end of September 2019. The Pennsylvania Department of Health (PADOH) is providing health education and technical assistance at this site. ATSDR is providing technical assistance upon request.
Dover Air Force Base (DE)
In 2019, groundwater samples were collected in shallow monitoring wells on the Dover Air Force Base (AFB) in Dover, Delaware. These contained levels of PFOS and PFOA above EPA's 2016 70 ppt health advisory. Later, levels of PFOS and PFOA above EPA's 2016 health advisory were detected in four drinking water wells near the base. These wells supply water to a shopping center with five businesses, two residences, and an office building. The owners of the wells were notified; Dover AFB provided bottled water.
The US Air Force and EPA have been working with the state to determine the impacts of PFOS and PFOA on private wells near the base. No PFOS or PFOA were detected in five nearby municipal water wells tested in November 2014 by Tidewater Utilities, Dover AFB's water supplier. Tidewater sampled four on-base municipal supply wells and the off-base municipal supply well nearest the base. ATSDR is providing public health education and technical assistance.
Berkeley County (WV) near Shepherd Field Air National Guard Base
The Shepherd Field Air National Guard Base previously used AFFF containing PFAS to fight fires and train workers. These compounds ran into offsite groundwater and likely affected Big Springs well in Martinsburg. Drinking water from this well supplies both City of Martinsburg and a small percentage of Berkeley County customers. Those who may have been affected include residents:
- Living south of the Big Springs treatment plant.
- In Martinsburg, west of I-81 using the municipal water supply living.
- In the Amber Woods housing complex, east of I-81.
PFAS was first detected in the Big Springs well in February 2014. Levels did not exceed the EPA's provisional health advisory level used in 2014.
EPA issued a health advisory (HA) in 2016 for the combined total of PFOS and PFAS at 70 parts per trillion (ppt). Martinsburg took Big Springs well out of service until a treatment system was installed to remove PFAS from the water. The city routinely monitors levels to ensure treatment is maintaining PFAS below the revised HA. In 2017, the West Virginia Department of Environmental Protection (WVDEP) tested for PFOS/PFOA in private well water in the vicinity of the base. All water sample results were below EPA's 2016 HA for PFOS and PFOA.
ATSDR is conducting an Exposure Assessment at this site. The primary goal of is to let the community know about levels of PFAS in their bodies. This may help inform future studies evaluating the impact of PFAS exposure on human health.
New Castle County (DE), near New Castle Air National Guard Base
In the past, the New Castle Air National Guard Base used AFFF containing PFAS for firefighting training. Groundwater sources used for drinking water in areas east and southeast of the base were contaminated with PFAS. Residents who may have been affected include those who live in and near the City of New Castle.
In 2014, two drinking water systems serving the New Castle area were found to contain PFAS levels exceeding the EPA's health advisory:
- Artesian Water
- Municipal Services Commission (MSC) of the City of New Castle
After receiving PFAS test results, both water systems upgraded their systems to reduce PFAS exposures. This included installation of granular activated carbon (GAC) filtration systems. In 2017, the Delaware Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Control reported that the GAC filtration systems had reduced levels to below the health advisory for two specific PFAS - PFOS and PFOA.
ATSDR is conducting an Exposure Assessment at this site. The primary goal of the exposure assessment is to provide information to the community about levels of PFAS in their bodies. This information might be used to help inform future studies evaluating the impact of PFAS exposure on human health. In May 2020, CDC/ATSDR released a summary of the biological and environmental test results. The full report was released February 2, 2022, and a summary of the report’s findings is presented below. The full report is available.