Marine Corps Air Station Beaufort continues to deal with the environmental fallout from decades of using fire retardant that contained potentially dangerous "forever chemicals" that now persist in the soil and groundwater in some areas.
In the latest development, the Marines and Navy announced additional testing of off-base drinking water wells for the presence of polyfluoroalkyl substances, or PFAS. Exposure to some types of the long-lasting synthetic chemicals at high enough levels for prolonged periods may be harmful to people, the Environmental Protection Agency says.
PFAS are a group of man-made chemicals used across the country since the 1950s in products like nonstick cookware, water resistant fabrics, carpet protectants and certain firefighting foams. Known for their durability and resistance to heat, grease and water, the substances are sometimes called forever chemicals because they stay in the environment for a very long time.
At MCAS Beaufort, PFAS may have entered the environment through historical use of firefighting foam or other PFAS-containing materials.
The majority of residents who live around MCAS get their drinking water from the Beaufort-Jasper Water & Sewer Authority (BJWSA), not private wells, base officials note. MCAS also gets its drinking water from BJWSA.
The Navy and Marine Corps say the testing of individual wells located near the base is a proactive step to determine if PFAS from past base activities have migrated off site.
In December 2021, groundwater and soil sampling was completed on the base and perfluorooctane sulfonate (PFOS) and perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA) -- two individual PFAS compounds -- were detected in shallow groundwater above 70 parts per trillion, which is considered the level requiring clean up.
The military continues to study the 28 on-base sites that were identified as PFAS release areas to see if cleanups are necessary.
The elevated levels on base prompted the Navy and Marines to begin testing wells outside the base boundaries in 2022-23. Testing occurred on private property in the path of the groundwater flow up to a mile from the releases. At the time of that testing, none of the 18 wells that were sampled exceeded 70 parts per trillion. A dozen didn't show any presence of the chemicals.
But in April 2024, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) approved new nationwide drinking water standards for certain forever chemicals. Now the Department of Defense is adopting those guidelines. As a result, Marines and Navy are reevaluating the on-base and off-base pollution at MCAS Beaufort using the new guidelines.
Under the new regulations, one off-base well that did not have elevated levels of PFAS under the old standards is now above the action threshold, according to the Navy and Marines. The Navy and Marine Corps are working with that property owner to implement an "enduring" solution. Options for enduring solutions may include connection to public water supply or installation of a drinking water treatment system. The military says it will cover the cost.
The military is also expanding the off-base testing area and resampling the original area of testing based on additional groundwater flow information and the new guidelines.
The Navy and Marine Corps are requesting property owner permission to sample private drinking water wells located in both the previous sampling area and the new one.
Testing will occur between Aug. 4-15.
To schedule a sampling appointment, the Marines and Navy are asking residents to call 800-687-2560.
The preliminary results from the private drinking water well sampling are expected approximately 30 days after collecting the samples. Once the Navy and Marine Corps receive the preliminary drinking water sample results, the Navy and Marine Corps will call property owners to provide the preliminary drinking water sample results and any follow-up actions, if needed.
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