Navy will soon test drinking water for harsh chemicals

The navy will soon start testing drinking water wells in and round NAS Meridian’s Joe Williams Naval Outlying Field in Kemper County. Navy officials will be looking for per- and poly- fluoroalkyl substances, known as PFAs. These are man-made chemicals that are used to make products that resist heat, water, stains, and more. If drinking water PFA concentrations exceed EPA health advisory levels, the navy will provide alternate drinking water (typically bottled water) for these residents until an alternate, long-term solution is in place.
The water testing is a part of the navy’s commitment to ensuring that local drinking water well supplies are not impacted from past navy use of firefighting foam. To keep the community informed, the navy will hold a public meeting today from 4 to 7 p.m. at the Barney Brown Senior Citizen Center in Dekalb. Citizens will be allowed to share their concerns and ask questions.