The U.S. Army is joining forces with the U.S. EPA to target a new enemy: PFAS contamination in drinking water. The joint EPA-Army program announced in July will be focused on the sample collection and laboratory testing of private drinking water wells near nine army installations for PFAS. 

The program will be focused on identifying the potential impact of PFAS migration from installations to contaminate drinking water wells of nearby residents. The army installations that are part of this sampling and testing pilot program include:

• Blue Grass Army Depot (Kentucky)

• Fort Campbell (Kentucky/Tennessee)

• Fort Hunter Liggett - Parks Reserve Forces Training Center (California)

• Fort Liberty (North Carolina)

• Fort Novosel (Alabama)

• Fort Sill (Oklahoma)

• Fort Stewart (Georgia)

• Hunter Army Airfield - Fort Stewart (Georgia)

• McAlester Army Ammunition Plant (Oklahoma)

The EPA stated that if sampling indicates that PFAS is present in groundwater or drinking water above the new Maximum Contaminant Levels (MCLs) established by EPA, the Army will work with EPA and state regulators to assess what additional actions are necessary to mitigate exposure. The EPA and Army will evaluate the inclusion of additional installations to expand this pilot program, based upon initial work. 

Merit Laboratories maintains DoD ELAP accreditation and is designated as a Small Business Enterprise (SBE) and Woman-Owned Business Enterprise (WBE). Merit Laboratories is a leading national PFAS environmental laboratory with large sample testing capacity, analyzing drinking water, soil, wastewater, groundwater, and other sample matrices, including biosolids and sludge.