Read the full article by Anita Snow (AP News)
“PHOENIX (AP) — The head of Arizona’s environmental agency called on Luke Air Force Base in metro Phoenix to help stop the spread of a plume of chemicals contaminating the area’s drinking water after recent testing discovered high levels of compounds commonly found in a firefighting foam once used there.
Misael Cabrera, director of the Arizona Department of Environmental Quality, told a public meeting his agency could work with the U.S. Air Force to stop the underground movement of the chemicals he said are linked to cancer and other health problems.
Cabrera praised the base for distributing bottled drinking water in recent days to thousands of residents affected by the contamination. But he said a longer term solution is needed to stop the problem, just as a hospital can save a patient by ‘stopping the bleeding as fast as you can.’
The Arizona Corporation Commission, the agency that regulates utilities, called the emergency meeting to talk about the recent discovery the chemicals had surpassed acceptable levels set by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency.
Testing of wells south of the base have detected the chemicals since 2016 but they have not registered at such high levels.
Commissioner Anna Tovar has been investigating the problem since it was made public last month.
‘I want to make sure the residents and businesses near the base can trust the water coming out of their taps,’ Tovar said before the meeting.
Luke Air Force Base said in February that studies showed high levels of contaminants had affected drinking water for about 6,000 people in roughly 1,600 homes plus several neighboring businesses.
The base has recommended that people in the affected area use bottled water for drinking and cooking but deemed tap water safe for bathing and laundry…”