DEP Investigating Contaminated Water In Doylestown

Water contamination that has plagued the area surrounding the former Naval Air Station in Willow Grove may have a larger impact than initially believed.

The Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection announced Tuesday it is investigating elevated levels of perfluorinated compounds found in water in parts of Doylestown, Plumstead and Buckingham townships, near the Cross Keys area.

“At this time, the extent and source of the contamination is not yet known. DEP is working expediently to investigate private wells in the area, remove them from service and determine a long term solution,” said Southeast Regional Director Cosmo Servidio. “It is important to reiterate that all public municipal water in the area meets the EPA Health Advisory.”

Last month, the EPA issued new guidelines for the combined concentration of perfluorooctane sulfonate (PFOS) and perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA) in drinking water.

As a result, Doylestown Township Municipal Authority removed its “Cross Keys” public water supply well from service after PFOS and PFOA were found to be above the EPA’s new guidelines, the DEP said.

DEP Southeast Regional Office said it immediately took steps to begin a thorough investigation of the surrounding area. Private well owners and community well owners serving highly sensitive populations, such as nursing homes and daycares, within approximately one mile of the impacted Cross Keys public well will be contacted to schedule water sampling for PFCs.

Bottled water will be immediately provided to any residence whose samples exceed EPA’s accepted level for PFCs, the DEP announced. PFOA and PFOS are synthetic materials used in firefighting at airfields, among other uses.

The DEP offered a warning for area residents with wells.

"Under the Safe Drinking Water Act, DEP does not regulate private wells. Although DEP is testing for PFCs, it is recommended that all Pennsylvania residents with a private well have their well water sampled every 3 to 5 years for a variety of chemical compounds to ensure the water is safe to drink. DEP recommends private well owners contract with a state-certified lab that conducts drinking water tests," the DEP said.

Not all labs are capable of performing a comprehensive evaluation and the number of labs certified to test for PFCs is limited. Contact information for state-certified labs is here. (NOTE: North Penn Water Authority is on that list but is not a commercial lab so will not perform tests.)

Authorities say more information on the Easton Road PFC investigation will be made available on DEP’s Southeast Regional Resources website, including information sheets, sampling maps, details for public information sessions and more as it becomes available.