YUMA — If you live near Marine Corps Air Station Yuma and drink water from your own well, the military wants to test it — for free — for a family of chemicals that does not break down.
The Navy and Marine Corps are asking owners of private drinking-water wells in neighborhoods around the base for permission to sample their water for per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances, known as PFAS or “forever chemicals,” according to KAWC, the Yuma Sun and the Navy’s project website. Appointments are being scheduled from Sept. 30 through Wednesday, Oct. 7, with additional times available on request.
Why the base is testing
PFAS were used for decades in products valued for resisting heat, water and stains. At military bases, the main source has been firefighting foam used in training and emergencies. The Navy says that because of that historical use, PFAS are present in groundwater at MCAS Yuma and may show up in private wells located in the direction groundwater flows away from the base.
“People are always concerned about their drinking water,” Cmdr. Matt Evans, the installation, logistics and environmental director at MCAS Yuma, told KAWC. “We want to answer those questions as much as we can.”
The base’s own drinking water comes from the Colorado River, an on-base well and, when needed, the City of Yuma. Base officials told KAWC that treated water is routinely tested and has tested safe for drinking since 2020. The Navy says homes that get their drinking water from the City of Yuma’s utility do not need to be sampled.
A bigger area than last time
The Navy and Marines first sampled private wells northwest of the base in 2023. The new round covers areas from La Mesa Linda southwest to Padre Ranchitos and east of Avenue 3E, KAWC reported, and wells tested in 2023 will be resampled because lab methods have improved, the Navy says.
Evans told the Yuma Sun the expansion followed new federal limits for PFAS in drinking water that the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency published in 2024. In the 2023 round, five wells were sampled and none reached the military’s interim action levels for private wells, according to the Navy’s results table, though one compound, PFHxS, was measured at up to 10 parts per trillion — equal to the EPA limit for public water systems.
If a well tests at or above the military’s action levels, the Navy says it will work with owners on a permanent fix, such as hooking up to public water or installing a treatment system. Results are validated by an independent third party and are expected to reach owners about three months after sampling.
How to get tested
The Navy and Marines held an open house last week at the Yuma Civic Center with representatives from the EPA and Arizona’s environmental quality and health departments. Capt. Kera Olsen, communication and strategy officer for MCAS Yuma, told the Yuma Sun the testing window can be extended up to six months.
Property owners with a private drinking-water well in the sampling area can call 800-374-7843 or email MCASYumaPFAS@aecom.com to schedule an appointment, according to the Navy’s website. Residents outside the area who are worried about their wells were encouraged to contact the Arizona Department of Health Services about other testing options.
Photo: Lance Cpl. Robert Macmenamin, U.S. Marine Corps / U.S. National Archives via Wikimedia Commons (public domain). Crash Fire Rescue Marines extinguish a training fire at the MCAS Yuma fire pit, Sept. 2000.
Sources: KAWC; Yuma Sun; NAVFAC MCAS Yuma PFAS Sampling.
This article was produced with AI assistance and is based on reporting from KAWC, Yuma Sun and NAVFAC MCAS Yuma PFAS Sampling.