The Pentagon has reported high levels of per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) in drinking water near several military bases following testing of water samples at military sites across several states. PFAS — also known as 'forever chemicals' as they do not readily break down but rather tend to accumulate in both the environment and in the bodies of organisms, including humans — pose an extensive health risk to humans.

Testing of drinking water samples collected from sites located near bases in Florida, Michigan, Pennsylvania and Washington state has found concentrations of PFAS at levels deemed unsafe by the US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).

Does The Berkey Remove PFAS?

The short answer is Yes! PFAS's fall under the category of PFC's - Perfluorinated Chemicals. PFOA, PFOS, etc. The Black Berkey elements that come standard with our Berkey water do remove these contaminants by over 99.9%. Berkey water filter PFOA test results can be found here.

Source of PFAS in Drinking Water

PFAS is an ingredient that is used in many everyday products, such as teflon for example. It is also a key ingredient used in fire-fighting foams, which because of how its used posed the greatest risk to the environment and ultimately drinking water quality. Since fire-fighting foam is widely used in training exercises on military bases, and because these 'forever chemicals' do not readily break down in the environment, PFAS contamination of soil and nearby water sources is common around military bases.

However, it's important to note that PFAS contamination is not limited to military bases. According to the Environmental Working Group (EWG), the number of communities across the US that are exposed to these highly toxic chemical substances continues to grow at an alarming rate. According to the EWG PFAS contamination map, 2,854 locations in 50 states and two territories are known to be contaminated as of October 2021.

Health Risks Associated with PFAS

Exposure to PFAS chemicals has been associated with a wide range of health issues, including high cholesterol, reproduction problems, disruption to immune and endocrine systems, and an increased risk of cancer. More recent studies have also found that PFAS can promote liver damage and poses an increased risk of diabetes in middle-aged women.

PFAS Contamination at Military Bases

We have known for some time now that PFAS has leached through soil to contaminate groundwater near military bases, however, this official report highlights the impact PFAS contamination is having on nearby drinking water quality and safety.

While the EPA has set maximum safety levels for PFAS (PFOS and PFOA) in drinking water at 70 parts per trillion (ppt), with several states calling to have this reduced further still, levels of PFAS detected at some military installations far exceeded the safety standard for drinking water. One drinking water sample collected from a site near the Naval Air Station at Whidbey Island, Washington State, found PFOS at a whopping 4,720 ppt in October 2021, and had detected PFOA at 208 ppt in September 2021.

This is not an isolated case in Washington State or elsewhere. Other transgressions include:

• Drinking water testing conducted near near Washington State's Joint Base Lewis-McChord Yakima Training Center found PFOS at levels of 800 ppt in January, while another sample collected at the same base found PFOA at 130 ppt.
• Water sample collected near Willow Grove base in Pennsylvania contained PFOS at 864 ppt in October.
• Water sample collected near the Naval Air Station Whiting Field, Florida, in August, had PFOA at 206 ppt, while a December sample found PFOS at 130 ppt.
• Water sample collected from Camp Grayling Army Airfield, Michigan, in November, had PFOA at 110 ppt.

The Department of Defense was required to disclose the results of the drinking water testing under the National Defense Authorization Act 2022.

These levels far exceed the recommended safety standard for drinking water set by the EPA, which are already thought to be too lenient. Exposure to PFAS at these levels poses a severe health risk to service men and women, and to communities living near military bases.

According to The Hill, officials from the Department of Defense stated that where it was found that their activities were responsible for contributing to the excessive PFAS levels in drinking water, they took immediate action to address this. They also took remedial action at all the above sites to reduce PFAS exposure via drinking water in line with EPA health standards of 70 ppt, including treating drinking water, providing an alternative drinking water source (bottled water or connecting private well users to public drinking water systems).

Can a Home Water Filter Remove PFAS

You can learn more about PFAS and the impact on your health here. You can take preventative measures to protect your family from PFAS exposure by investing in a good quality home water filter system. One cost-effective and practical method of removing PFAS (including both PFOA and PFOS) from your drinking water is to invest in an activated carbon water filtration system such as the Big Berkey (or any other system in the Berkey range). PFAS chemicals fall under Perfluorinated Chemicals (PFC's) and include PFOA, PFOS, and other substances. The Black Berkey filter elements that are included standard with Berkey water filter systems can remove over 99.9% of PFC's and PFAS. Berkey water filter PFOA test results can be found here.

Caption: Firefighters from Joint Base Lewis-McChord Fire Department at JBLM, Wash., observe water drafted from a simulated water source using a two-truck system to reach a fire too far from a fire hydrant or body of water while training with firefighters from the Tooele Army Depot Fire Department during Operation Overblast at Tooele Army Depot, Utah, April 6.