Water sample results alleviate fears

Published Sept. 16, 2015
By Tech. Sgt. Douglas Hays
434th ARW Public Affairs

GRISSOM AIR RESERVE BASE, Ind., -- Water samples taken from wells near Grissom came back with sparkling results.

The samples, collected Sept. 2, each had levels far below the Environmental Protection Agency's provisional health advisory limits.

"Some results were so low they were below the calculation testing limits and had to be estimated," said Jeff Woodring, 434th Base Civil Engineer chief environmental engineer.

Water from four wells, as well as the in and out-flow of the Peru Utilities water treatment plant, were tested for forms of perfluorinated compounds (PFCs), specifically compounds used in aqueous firefighting foam (AFFF) used to extinguish fuel fires since the 1970s.

The wells tested were the closest to fire training areas used to train Air Force firefighters to battle petroleum driven aircraft fires at the former active base that realigned in 1994.

The foam is no longer used in training and the Air Force is systematically removing it from the field.

"We made a commitment to our friends in the community to keep them informed of our environmental efforts," said Col. Doug Schwartz, 434th Air Refueling Wing commander. "We tested the water and are pleased that the results were very favorable.

"We're a stakeholder in this process," Schwartz said. "We are members of the community too and have a vested interest in doing things the right way."

PFCs are used in a variety household items including non-stick cookware, food wrappers and even microwave popcorn.

"Based on the test results, people would have to drink 75,000 liters of the sampled water to get the same equivalent of PFCs found in one bag of microwave popcorn," said Lisa Krawczyk, 434th CES environmental engineer.

The Air Force is currently testing 82 former and active installations. As a former active-duty installation that was downsized and realigned to a reserve base, Grissom falls into both categories.

Environmental engineers from the Air Force Civil Engineer Center at Joint Base San Antonio-Lackland, Texas are spearheading the Air Force's efforts in identifying, studying, and applying effective mediation strategies.

"Our environmental team is working closely with these professionals," Schwartz said. "We have a proven track record of resolving issues that affect the community because it's our community too."

Grissom is home to the 434th Air Refueling Wing, the largest KC-135R unit in the Air Force Reserve Command, as well as three Army Reserve units. Airmen, Soldiers and Marines routinely deploy from Grissom around the world in support of the Department of Defense mission and U.S. strategic objectives.

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Water samples alleviate fears

Water sample results alleviate fears

Public Affairs Staff