(Tribune News Service) — The U.S. Army will begin installing whole-home water filtration systems in East Selah, Wash., households with contaminated groundwater this fall, officials said.
Over the past week, Army officials and contractors visited households in the area to discuss the installation of point-of-entry-treatment system filters. These systems will be installed outside, where they can filter all water coming from a contaminated well before it enters a home. They will replace the bottled water the Army has been providing to affected residents for almost two years.
The filters will reduce the concentration of per-and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS), also known as forever chemicals, to levels that meet federal standards. PFAS refers to a large family of chemicals, some of which are toxic to humans in minute quantities and can remain in the body for years.
For decades, the Army used a fire suppressant foam laden with PFAS in firefighting exercises at the Yakima Training Center. Over time, the chemicals in the foam seeped into the earth, slowly moving down and out toward East Selah.
The Army began testing private water wells for PFAS in late 2021. By September 2022, the Army had tested 300 wells in East Selah, 62 of which exceeded the Environmental Protection Agency's maximum contaminant levels for PFAS.
Incoming solutions
In a public meeting last fall, the Army offered possible solutions that would allow residents to use their well water safely. The water filter systems were on the list.
In February, the Army began doing in-home assessments to gauge the viability of the filtration systems. Now, the next step of the process has begun as contractors including plumbers, electricians and water experts have started visiting homes. Some residents said the Army may have to build a small shed to house the system.
While residents expressed relief in interviews with the Yakima Herald-Republic, some are still hesitant about the idea of drinking from their contaminated wells.
Nicole Acosta, an East Selah resident whose well tested at over 800 parts per trillion for PFAS, 200 times the amount considered dangerous to consume by the EPA, said she's worried about being among the first residents to use the filters.
"I'm afraid we're going to be the guinea pigs for this," Acosta said. "I don't know that I ever want to drink that water again."
Acosta's well feeds water to two households and 10 people in total. She said she cooks often and isn't comfortable with the idea of using the water in her home to cook.
Jeff Davis said he is pleased there's a possible solution. He said the Army offered to pay for any installations or modifications to his house related to the filters.
"I'm just glad they're (Army) doing something about this," he said. "It's a relief."
Like Acosta, Davis will be among the first to have a filtration system installed because of his well's PFAS concentration of 640 ppt.
An Army spokesperson said a combination of criteria including PFAS concentration levels, well geography and water consumption rates were used to determine the order in which filtration systems will be installed.
To get the systems, residents are asked to sign a five-year contract with the Army for continued maintenance and testing of the filtration system, all of which the Army would pay for.
Acosta, Davis and other residents like Terry Archer said the Army would provide eight weeks' worth of bottled water while the filtration systems were tested to assure they were working properly and meeting the 70 ppt standard.
After that, systems would be checked every two to four months for new filters, maintenance needs and water testing. The three homeowners said they'd have to look over their contracts closely but that they are inclined to accept the Army's offer.
The Army spokesperson said all eligible homes will get a system.
"Currently there are 61 wells serving 79 households receiving bottled water provided by the Army," the spokesperson said. "Any residence whose drinking water sampled above 70 parts per trillion for PFAS receives bottled water from the Army and will have a Point Of Entry Treatment (POET) system installed to filter water going into the home."
The spokesperson said installation will start in the fall and will continue until all eligible homes have had their system installed.
The Army has contracted with the Environmental Chemical Corporation, a California-based company that has worked in everything from nuclear decontamination to cleanup efforts in New Orleans after Hurricane Katrina. The ECC has subcontracted with local businesses like Shepherd Plumbing and Wild West Electric.
Changes to regulation
In March, the EPA proposed a new federal limit of 4 ppt for PFAS chemicals, the lowest level that tests can detect. The new regulation would be a mandatory limit on water providers, different from the earlier advisories.
The EPA expects the regulation to be implemented by the end of this year. If approved, thousands of public water systems would be required to start testing and treating their water for PFAS.
An Army spokesperson said the Department of Defense, which oversees Army operations, is prepared to revisit its existing data and conduct additional testing in the area once the EPA's regulations are in place. The Army will abide by PFAS cleanup guidance, along with the new drinking water regulations.
Under the new standard, dozens of additional households in East Selah could be eligible to receive help from the Army.
Santiago Ochoa's reporting for the Yakima Herald-Republic is possible with support from Report for America and community members through the Yakima Valley Community Fund.
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Firefighters extinguish a helicopter fire during a training exercise in 2007. (U.S. Army)
