Suspected contamination source: Firefighting foam used at Mather Air Force Base (Wagner and Paredes, 2016)
Elevated levels of PFOS, PFOA and PFHxS were discovered in CA American Water Co. – Suburban Rosemont district. The cause of elevated PFAS levels according to the water company is “discharge from industrial uses”. However, the contamination is in close proximity to the former Mather Air Force Base. This suggests that the wells may have been contaminated with aqueous film-forming foam used at the air base.
In September 2016, California’s Office of Environmental Health Hazard Assessment (OEHHA) filed public notice of intent to list perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA) and perfluorooctane sulfonate (PFOS) as known to the state to cause reproductive toxicity under the Safe Drinking Water and Toxic Enforcement Act of 1986. The public comment period closed in December 2016 and final listing as a reproductive toxicant is expected at a later date.
Media Coverage:
- Six water districts in California detected PFCs at levels above the health advisory level issued
- Toxic Chemical Linked to Firefighting Foam Found in Bay Area Water
Full citations are available on the second page of the full contamination site tracker. We ask for your additions, changes, questions and comments be sent to pfasproject@gmail.com.