In Arizona, PFAS has already impacted and continues to threaten Tucson’s drinking water supply. Tucson Water has removed drinking water production wells from service due to PFAS found at levels higher than EPA’s HAL in the regional groundwater aquifer near Davis Monthan Air Force Base. Additional drinking water production wells in Tucson Water’s Central Wellfield are at risk from PFAS. The Central Wellfield serves as the primary drinking water supply for over 65,000 people and the sole alternate drinking water supply for 600,000 people.

To address the PFAS threat to Tucson’s drinking water supply, ADEQ has dedicated funds from its limited Water Quality Assurance Revolving Fund to delineate and capture PFAS-contaminated groundwater from impacting additional drinking water production wells and is working with Tucson Water and the Air Force Civil Engineering Center. 

ADEQ is keeping residents and businesses in the area of the field work informed and is coordinating closely with Tucson Water. Residents and businesses who receive their drinking water from Tucson Water are continuing to receive drinking water that not only meets the EPA HAL for PFAS, but also meets Tucson Water’s more conservative internal operating targets for PFAS.

In addition, ADEQ notified private well owners in the area, whose wells are not regulated by ADEQ, about the potential for PFAS impacts. At the owners’ requests, ADEQ tested 13 privately-owned wells for PFAS and for three of these wells that showed PFAS levels higher than the EPA HAL, ADEQ worked with the Air National Guard to provide the residents with an alternate source of healthy drinking water.