The road ahead for addressing polyfluoroalkyl substance, or PFAS, contamination on Whidbey is long.
In the next year, the Navy plans on operating the new groundwater treatment plant near the Area 6 former landfill, finishing the construction around that area, conducting biannual drinking water sampling off base and finalizing official advice for point of use filters for applicable neighborhoods.
Experts gave an overview of the work ahead at a recent meeting of the Navy Restoration Advisory Board on Whidbey Island. The board is a collective forum for “the community, government agencies, tribes and installation decision makers to discuss, and identify the most efficient and productive means to restore the environment at a site formerly owned by the DoD, where the DoD is overseeing the cleanup process,” according to the Department of Defense.
The recent presentation focused on PFAS, commonly known as “forever chemicals” and linked to health problems.
In 2016, the Environmental Protection Agency established a lifetime health advisory of 70 parts per trillion of PFAS, which is found in foam used to extinguish jet-fuel fires. In 2022, the agency updated the advisory to .04 parts per trillion. Because neither parameters are enforceable by the EPA, the Navy still used the 70 parts guideline until the Biden administration set a maximum contamination level of 4 parts per trillion earlier this year.
As a result of the original health advisory, the Navy began sampling just south of Naval Air Station Whidbey Island’s Ault Field base. The sampling area was established one mile in the estimated direction of groundwater flow from potential on-base PFAS release areas. Through 2019, the Navy expanded the off-base drinking water sampling through Whidbey Island based on the direction of PFAS detected above 70 parts per trillion in the previous sampling area.
The Navy has now sampled 331 wells off base, said Kendra Clubb, co-chair of the Restoration Advisory Board. Of these, 26 exceed the new federal action level. The Navy completed contaminant removal for 14 wells, or 33 homes, that exceeded 70 parts per trillion.
The Navy follows the Comprehensive Environmental Response Compensation and Liability Act, a federal cleanup law. The first step is a site inspection and identification of contaminants. Then, scientists analyze where the contaminant is, how much is there and evaluate the risks. If action is necessary, they conduct a feasibility study.
On Whidbey, this step is where much of the current PFAS investigations currently preside.
Next, the Navy will create a proposed plan for public comments and a record of decision. It will bring on a contractor to implement remedial tasks. Then, the Navy will shift to long-term management actions such as groundwater monitoring, implementation of management of land use controls and preparing five-year reports.
Since fall of last year, the restoration team members have operated the Groundwater Treatment System of the Area 6 landfill and treated 136 million gallons of water, said Laura Himes, remedial project manager for Naval Air Station Whidbey Island. They created four new production wells, started operating the new system in September and met remedial goals.
The team also performed land-use control inspections, ongoing groundwater treatment system and landfill maintenance and groundwater monitoring. Himes hopes to complete the construction work out there in the next year.
“I was out there earlier today,” she said. “We have a few minor punch list items that need to happen.”
Staff are currently in the process of remediating another seven wells, or 10 homes, she said, and planning efforts for the next five wells and 20 homes.
As part of a biannual sampling program, the team samples 66 wells that either have prior PFAS detections or are adjacent to contaminated wells or Navy removal actions.
Since fall of last year, the Navy has established short-term solutions in contaminated areas off base, Clubb said, such as bottled water and point of use filters. Four wells and five homes were identified with contaminated higher than 70 parts per trillion, and five wells for 20 above four parts per trillion.
In Coupeville, the remediation staff changed the media in the PFAS treatment system and conducted quarterly sampling. They also finalized agreements for a new drinking water line, which will be installed January through March of next year.
In Oak Harbor, the staff sampled a well connected in 2021 and started removal actions for five wells and six homes.
In Ault Field, the Navy is still investigating the former Area 6 landfill, the former runway fire school, the current fire training area, the Ault Field Airfield and the former wastewater treatment facility.
At the Seaplane Base, staff is investigating site 61, a maintenance building and the former biosolids application area. Investigations are also underway at Outlying Field Coupeville.
