The Air Force is announcing new efforts to address water contamination at the former Pease Air Force Base.
Pease is the site of the largest known perfluorochemical contamination in the state. In 2014, a drinking well was closed there after at least 1,800 people were exposed to PFCs at levels far above health advisory limits. Some evidence has linked PFCs to cancer.
Now the Air Force is announcing two new ‘pump-and-treat’ projects at the base -- one to prevent contaminants from migrating off site, another to reduce the flow of PFCs to the well that was closed.
Peter Forbes is an environmental program manager with the Air Force.
“The focus is addressing these specific drinking water issues and making sure that people are going to have that resource. It’s a pretty valuable resource for the seacoast area.”
Meanwhile the city of Portsmouth is designing a filter system for the well that was closed in hopes of one day bringing it back online.
