“NEW BERN, Craven County — Water testing conducted by the Navy found a cancer-causing chemical in two private water wells in one Carteret County town. The amounts found exceed the safe lifetime levels put forth by the EPA.
A release from the Navy stated the Navy began testing in the community of Atlantic in mid-November out of an abundance of caution. It was in response to a U.S. Environmental Protection Agency lifetime health advisory for certain chemicals used in a variety of commercial products since the 1950’s. Those chemicals are found in firefighting foam the Navy has used to put out aircraft fires during training and incidents. Marine Corps Outlying Landing Field (MCOLF) Atlantic is in the community of Atlantic.
Cherry Point Communications Officer Mike Barton explained while records have not yet shown that firefighting foam was ever used at Marine Corps Outlying Landing Field (MCOLF) Atlantic, the Navy is still testing water in Atlantic as a precaution. Barton said of the 258 drinking water wells that were tested, samples from two drinking water wells indicated the presence of these chemicals exceeding the EPA Health Advisory. Water testing is now in its second round of testing in Atlantic.
Barton said the Navy is now providing bottled water to the residents in the two homes where the private wells tested for the chemicals in an amount exceeding the EPA Health Advisory. The bottled water will be provided until a long-term solution is found.”
Read the full article by Michelle Pumphrey.