The following is the opinion and analysis of the writers:
This month, representatives of the U.S. Air Force in Tucson made the stunning announcement that it would not take responsibility to clean up dangerous “forever chemicals” that have been leaching from the Morris Air National Guard (ANG) Base into public water supplies for decades. The announcement is in defiance of an U.S. EPA order issued to the Air Force in May to clean up PFAS — a class of chemicals that have been found to threaten human health even in tiny amounts — in order to protect neighboring communities and the imminent danger to the public water supply for the whole of Tucson. It is a disappointing and irresponsible turn of events in our community.
We have been confronting the PFAS problem in Tucson for almost a decade since Tucson Water first discovered it in groundwater near the Tucson International Airport Area Superfund Site during routine testing. PFAS was found in firefighting foam which had been used in trainings at the Morris ANG base, airport and Davis-Monthan base since the 1960s. Armed with this knowledge, city officials have taken the necessary, and very costly, steps to prevent PFAS chemicals from entering Tucson’s drinking water system.
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Our research team at the University of Arizona is studying the PFAS problem in our community and the myriad responses from local, state, and federal governments. As you might imagine, the issue has been rapidly changing. Dozens of wells have been shut off over the years. Tucson entered a lawsuit against PFAS manufacturers, seeking damages for their extensive contamination. More recently, there have been investments in new infrastructure, including construction on a system to prevent intrusion of PFAS-contaminated groundwater into the city’s central wellfield.
Beyond firefighting foam, PFAS have become so widespread because their chemical properties are extremely useful and have helped to make a variety of heat-resistant, stain-proof, and non-stick products since the 1940s. Yet, exposure to PFAS has been linked to a wide range of health issues, including ones that can be fatal– such as cancer, liver damage, and immune system disruptions. And unlike other contaminants, they accumulate in the body over time.
In recognition of the danger of PFAS, the EPA released legally enforceable drinking water standards earlier this year requiring public water systems to monitor for PFAS and address them. According to the American Water Works Association, this will likely cost $3.8 billion per year for US drinking water systems, with potential additional costs related to disposal. Our community has already invested tens of millions of taxpayer dollars in testing, monitoring, and building new infrastructure locally in an effort to contain PFAS.
These investments reflect the importance of groundwater to our community. Tucsonans have long understood the value of groundwater, especially in a time of decreasing flows of the Colorado River. We have been working for years in our community to protect our groundwater supplies. We know that under prolonged drought, we will likely be receiving less Colorado River water in the future. Maintaining a clean, reliable groundwater system locally is absolutely vital for Tucson’s future.
The Air Force’s latest decision is a blow to our community. There is no denying that PFAS cleanup will be costly — reporting by The Guardian newspaper recently indicated that it might cost $25m for a new treatment system for the Morris ANG Base. In addition, the Air Force needs to pay for the new infrastructure needed at Davis-Monthan to contain the PFAS plume that can threaten our city’s central wellfield.
The alternative is Tucson citizens and Air Force service members will bear the brunt of serious health problems and water rate increases in an already uncertain and challenging climate. Ultimately, doing the right thing now will be less costly for both the Air Force and the public and support the critical long-term relationship between the local military bases and our greater Tucson community.
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Andrea K. Gerlak is Director of the Udall Center for Studies in Public Policy and a professor in the School of Geography, Development and Environment at the University of Arizona. She is a Tucson Public Voices fellow with the OpEd Project.
Adrienne Brown is a postdoctoral researcher at the Udall Center for Studies in Public Policy at the University of Arizona.
Gina Gilson is a Research Scientist in Environmental Policy Programs at the Udall Center for Studies in Public Policy at the University of Arizona.
Gemma Smith is an Assistant Professor at the School of Government and Public Policy and the Udall Center for Studies in Public Policy at the University of Arizona.
Adriana Zuniga-Teran is an Assistant Professor at the School of Geography, Development and Environment and the Udall Center for Studies in Public Policy at the University of Arizona.
