DEP Provides Bottled Water To Residents Near Former Willow Grove Naval Air Station

The Department of Environmental Protection Thursday announced it will supply bottled drinking water on an interim basis to residents with confirmed levels of perfluorooctane sulphonate (PFOS) or perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA) in the area of the Naval Air Station Joint Reserve Base Willow Grove, former Naval Air Station Warminster and Air National Guard Horsham, Montgomery County.

“We are taking precautionary action to ensure all residents in the area are receiving water until we receive further guidance from the EPA on this matter,” Gov. Tom Wolf said.

The drinking water for these residents is currently below the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s current provisional Health Advisory levels (PHALs). However, Gov. Wolf, after conversations with Rep. Todd Stephens (R-Montgomery), directed DEP to provide bottled water on an interim basis in anticipation of possible revised guidance from the EPA in the near future.

“I appreciate the governor and DEP working with us to provide safe drinking water to local residents,” said Rep. Stephens said. “Until the EPA ensures the water coming from our faucets is safe for everyone to drink, the state must continue to protect its residents.”

Free bottled water was made available for pickup by residents of Horsham, Warrington and Warminster beginning Thursday at the Horsham Community Center, located at 1025 Horsham Road in Horsham. 
Bottled water will be available Friday from 9:00-6:00 and DEP staff will be on hand both days to facilitate distribution. Residents will be provided with 2 cases of water per day.

Bottled water is available to residents on public water systems and private wells that have tested below the PHAL levels for PFOS/PFOA but still detect the chemicals.

Residents whose private wells are contaminated above the PHALs (0.2 ppb for perfluorooctane sulphonate or PFOS and 0.4 ppb for perfluorooctanoic acid or PFOA) are currently supplied with bottled water by the U.S. Navy and Air National Guard.