The AFFF Connection
Military installations across the United States used aqueous film-forming foam (AFFF) for fire suppression training and emergency response for decades. AFFF contains PFAS compounds — particularly PFOS and PFOA — that penetrated soil, reached groundwater, and contaminated nearby drinking water wells and municipal supplies. The Department of Defense has identified over 700 installations with known or suspected PFAS releases.
Community Health Impacts
Residents near bases including Pease Air National Guard Base in New Hampshire, Robins Air Force Base in Georgia, and Ellsworth Air Force Base in South Dakota have faced elevated PFAS levels in their drinking water. Studies of these communities have found associations between PFAS exposure and elevated rates of kidney and testicular cancers, thyroid disease, and immune function alterations.
Remediation Challenges
Military PFAS contamination presents unique remediation challenges due to the size of affected areas, the depth of groundwater contamination, and the complexity of multiple PFAS compounds present simultaneously. Treatment technologies including granular activated carbon, ion exchange resin, and membrane systems have been deployed at military sites, with varying effectiveness depending on local hydrogeological conditions and the specific PFAS compound profile present.
Current Legal and Regulatory Status
The Department of Defense is under federal mandate to investigate and remediate PFAS contamination at military installations. Multiple states and municipalities have filed lawsuits against AFFF manufacturers. The EPA’s 2024 maximum contaminant levels for six PFAS compounds apply to water supplies affected by military contamination, creating compliance obligations for both military and civilian water systems serving affected communities.