Former Grumman/Calverton Property

Calverton, New York

PFAS Drinking Water Investigation Fact Sheet
September 2018

DRINKING WATER PROVIDED BY RIVERHEAD WATER DISTRICT HAS BEEN TESTED AND
PFOA AND PFOS WERE NOT DETECTED.
SAMPLING OF PROPERTIES RECEIVING WATER SUPPLIED BY RIVERHEAD
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WATER DISTRICT IS NOT NECESSARY.
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INTRODUCTION
Rhode Island
New Connecticut
York

Sound
The Navy is requesting permission to sample drinking Long
Island
Long Island Sound

water obtained from private wells within designated New

Oyster Bay Former Grumman/

areas near the former Grumman/Calverton Property, Jersey Calverton Property

Atlantic Ocean

Calverton, New York (designated areas shown in

Figure 2). The Navy has developed a protective policy
Former Grumman/Calverton Property
to address past releases of per- and poly-fluoroalkyl T
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substances, commonly known as PFAS. These substances T

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may be present in the soil and/or groundwater at Navy T

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sites as a result of historical firefighting activities using

aqueous film forming foam (AFFF), including response
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to crashes, equipment testing, and training. Since PFAS T
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were detected in portions of the groundwater, there is T

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the potential for these substances to also be present

in private drinking water wells in the designated areas
because of their proximity to the former Grumman/ ¨
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Calverton Property (Figures 1 and 2). Although available

records indicate the majority of drinking water in the
designated areas is supplied by the Riverhead Water
District, the Navy has identified several private drinking
Legend
water wells (Figure 2). We are seeking the public’s Former Grumman/Calverton Property
assistance to identify any additional drinking water 1 0.5 0 1
Miles
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27
Current Navy

wells located in the shaded areas depicted on Figure

2. Drinking water provided by Riverhead Water District
Figure 1 - Former Grumman/Calverton Property
has been tested, and perfluorooctane sulfonate (PFOS)
legal requirement to conduct this drinking water testing.
and perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA) were not detected.
It is a voluntary measure because water quality for our
Therefore, sampling of properties receiving water
off-property neighbors is a priority for the Navy. The Navy
supplied by the Riverhead Water District is not necessary.
is performing this drinking water sampling in coordination
with its partners, including U.S. Environmental Protection
PFOA and PFOS have been detected in certain
Agency (EPA) Region 2, Agency for Toxic Substances
groundwater locations at the former Grumman/
and Disease Registry (ATSDR) Region 2, Suffolk County
Calverton Property. In an abundance of caution,
Department of Health Services, New York State
before the ongoing investigation and delineation
Department of Environmental Conservation (NYSDEC),
of PFAS in groundwater at the former Grumman/
New York State Department of Health (NYSDOH), and the
Calverton Property is complete, the Navy is initiating an
Riverhead Water District.
investigation of off-property drinking water wells within
these designated areas to identify and address possible
current exposure to PFAS in drinking water. There is no
BACKGROUND
PFAS are man-made chemicals that have been used
If your preliminary results show that your drinking water contains PFOS and/or PFOA above the EPA
lifetime health advisory, then the Navy will provide bottled water or an alternate water supply until a
long-term solution is implemented.

1
 Former Grumman/Calverton Property Drinking Water Investigation Fact Sheet September 2018
Figure 2- Proposed Sampling Areas

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Location of Known PFAS Former Grumman/Calverton Parcels Serviced by Riverhead

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Government Parcels Designated Area for

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Release Property Water District

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Parcels Not Serviced by Groundwater Flow Direction 0 0.25 0.5 1
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Location of Potential PFAS Current Navy Property Riverhead Water District Suspected Vacant or Unknown
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Release Parcels Miles

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Former Grumman/Calverton Property Drinking Water Investigation Fact Sheet September 2018
since the 1950s in many household and industrial
products because of their stain- and water-repellant
properties. PFAS are now present virtually everywhere
in the world because of the large amounts that have
been manufactured and used. Once these compounds
are released to the environment, they break down very
slowly.
PFAS are “emerging” contaminants, which have no Safe
Drinking Water Act regulatory standards or routine
water quality testing requirements. The EPA is currently
studying certain PFAS to determine if regulation is needed.
In May 2016, the EPA released lifetime health advisory
(LHA) levels for two PFAS, specifically PFOS and PFOA.
Health advisory levels are not regulatory standards. They
are health-based concentrations which EPA states offer
a margin of protection for all Americans from adverse
health effects resulting from exposure throughout their
life to PFOS and PFOA in drinking water. The EPA’s health
advisory level for lifetime exposure is 70 parts per trillion
(ppt) for PFOS and 70 ppt for PFOA. When both PFOS
and PFOA are found in drinking water, the combined
concentrations should not exceed 70 ppt.
NAVY POLICY
Until a decision for regulating PFAS is made, the Navy
has proactively developed a policy to ensure drinking
water is not impacted by PFOS and/or PFOA near
installations where there has been a nearby known or
suspected release of PFAS to the environment. Navy
policy is to sample drinking water sources downgradient
(in the direction of groundwater flow) from a known
or suspected release of PFAS. To ensure protectiveness,
the Navy will offer this drinking water sampling to all
residents in the designated area (Figure 2), regardless
of the depth of their drinking water well. The Navy is
requesting permission to sample to ensure our neighbors
are not being exposed to PFAS in their drinking water at
concentrations exceeding the EPA’s LHA.
Because of the actual and potential release of AFFF at
former Grumman/Calverton Property, it is possible that
it has reached the groundwater off-property. Our first
priority is determining if PFOS and/or PFOA are present
in the drinking water of nearby residents and, if so, also
taking appropriate action. Once any potential exposures
FOR MORE INFORMATION
https://go.usa.gov/xPCpj
If you have specific questions: contact the Navy Public Affairs office at: (757) 341-1410 or NAVFAC_ML_PAO@navy.mil
from drinking water have been addressed, the Navy will
complete an investigation to determine the presence of
these compounds at the former Grumman/Calverton
Property.
ACTIONS BASED ON RESULTS
The preliminary results from the off-property drinking
water sampling are expected approximately 30 days after
collecting the samples. We will provide notification to the
property owners of their personal drinking water results
and follow-up actions if needed. The Navy will do its best
to keep the results confidential to the extent permitted by
law.
The Navy will provide an alternate water source, likely
bottled water, for drinking and cooking to any residents
in the sampling area whose water contains PFOS and/
or PFOA above the EPA’s health advisory levels. The
Navy will continue to provide the alternate water until a
permanent solution is implemented.
HEALTH INFORMATION
Exposure to PFOS and PFOA appears to be global. Studies
have found both compounds in the blood samples of
the general population. Studies on exposed populations
indicate that PFOS and/or PFOA may have caused elevated
cholesterol levels and possibly low infant birth weight. In
studies conducted using laboratory animals, effects on
developmental, neurological, immune, thyroid, and liver
function were observed.
Health effects from exposure to low levels of PFAS are not
well known and studies are continuing. At this time, it is
not possible to link exposures to PFOS and/or PFOA to a
person’s individual health issues. Blood tests are available
to measure these chemicals, but they are not routinely
done because the results can be inconclusive and test
results do not predict health effects. Long-term exposure
effects are still being investigated by the EPA.
Based on what is known and still unknown about PFOS
and PFOA, EPA recommends people not drink or cook
with water that contains these compounds above the
EPA’s lifetime health advisory.