“I was always suspicious that there could be some kind of chemicals or hazardous material down there,” said Colts Neck homeowner John Vitucci. He’s one of about 150 residents living in two areas near Naval Weapons Station Earle who got letters from the U.S. Navy offering to conduct free testing for cancer-causing PFAS chemicals in their residential well water.
“I would absolutely ask to have my well tested because at the end of the day, you want to make sure that your drinking water is safe,” advised station commanding officer Capt. Edward Callahan. Military bases — including Naval Weapons Station Earle — used firefighting foam containing PFAS for decades, and Navy officials are concerned the chemical migrated off-base into nearby groundwater. PFAS, so-called forever chemicals, have been linked to serious health impacts, including testicular cancer, kidney cancer, colitis, preeclampsia or high blood pressure and other conditions during pregnancy.
Testing began Friday and will continue through March 10. Vitucci agreed to have his well tested. The Navy will provide bottled water and fund a long-term solution for wells that exceed the Environmental Protection Agency’s advisory level of 70 parts per trillion.
State regulators have set stricter drinking water standards for the chemicals, between 13 and 14 parts per trillion. Any well owner whose water supply exceeds those levels but is not eligible for Navy help will be eligible for bottled water and a long-term solution from the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection, according to a department spokesman.
