An analysis of UK Ministry of Defense documents has revealed that an RAF base is a hotspot for toxic "permanent chemical" contamination of water.

Furthermore, official sampling results obtained by The Guardian and Catchment Survey show that the highest concentrations of these chemicals in UK drinking water sources are found near RAF bases.

Known as forever chemicals because of their indestructible properties, PFAS include PFOS and PFOA, which are toxic and have been linked to cancer, thyroid disease and fertility problems. These two have been banned, but more than 10,000 PFAS are still in use, many of which are thought to have unknown toxic effects.

“The concentrations of PFOS and PFOA in groundwater at these sites are extremely concerning,” said Cecilia MacLeod, lead remediation specialist.

"If intervention is not implemented to install a remediation system to treat groundwater and prevent off-site migration, the Department of Defense may be deemed to have violated environmental protection laws," McLeod said.

Environmental reports commissioned by the UK Ministry of Defense between 2017 and 2022 found high levels of these permanently banned chemicals.

Levels of PFOS and PFOA have been recorded in groundwater at RAF Benson in South Oxfordshire, up to 7,700 nanograms per liter (ng/l), and at RAF Coningsby and RAF Waddington in Lincolnshire. Same high. For context, the maximum allowable level in drinking water in England is 100 ng/l, and water above this may pose health risks.

RAF Waddington is located in a drinking water supply area with groundwater contamination levels more than five times the maximum permitted level for drinking water.

RAF Coningsby recorded a level of 3,550 ng/L of perfluorooctane sulfonate (PFOS). Other PFAS compounds may biotransform and oxidize to PFOS and other PFAS, potentially leading to surface and groundwater contamination up to 164,317 ng/L, the report said. RAF Coningsby is not in a drinking water zone, but reports highlight nearby sprinkler irrigation sites that may use groundwater to grow crops. These reports do not include an assessment of human health risks.

"The levels of PFOA and PFOS alone are concerning," said Dr David Megson, a PFAS expert at Manchester Metropolitan University. "However, additional test results suggest this represents only a small proportion of the total PFAS present at these sites. More than 100,000 The total PFAS value of ng/l is alarmingly high.”

Anglian Water sampling revealed evidence that RAF Mildenhall may have contaminated drinking water, with high levels of PFAS found in nearby water supplies. The base is located in a drinking water supply area, although it may not be the only source of contamination.

Environment Agency data showed groundwater levels also rose near MoD Woodbridge in Suffolk and RAF Woodville on the protected Sefton coast north of Liverpool.

In 2022, Watershed Inquiry and The Guardian revealed that the former RAF Duxford airfield may have been responsible for PFOS contamination of South Cambridgeshire's drinking water supply. The airport is now owned by the Imperial War Museum and is being investigated by the Environment Agency.

The MoD said the sites at St Mary's and Duxford are no longer owned or maintained by the ministry and it will liaise with local authorities and the Environment Agency if they wish to investigate.

"The key question now is: what is the risk of harm to nearby communities?" said Professor Patrick Byrne of Liverpool John Moores University. "If there is a source of drinking water nearby, as is the case at RAF Waddington, I would suggest that an urgent investigation of potential transport routes is needed to determine if there is a risk to these communities."

RAF personnel and their families may be affected by high PFAS levels because some bases provide drinking water from on-base sources. The MoD is a private water supplier and private water regulations do not require PFAS testing. Private water companies that manage water supplies told the Guardian they were under no obligation to provide water quality data.

"Thirty of my friends are dying of cancer and heart disease, and 32 of us are fighting for our lives," said Harry Watts, a 74-year-old RAF veteran who has leukemia.

"Our role is to defend our country but we never expected to be stung by PFAS in our drinking water," said Watts, who served at RAF Brize Norton from 1976 to 1990. , they were told in regimental lectures that they were safer than civilians because they used their own drinking water supply. But he now worries about contamination of the water because the aquifer lies beneath a fire training range where large amounts of firefighting foam have been used for decades.

"For (military) personnel, it depends on the level of exposure. We're all exposed, but we don't know what that means in the long term," Byrne said. "But if your exposure is much higher, whether or not people on the base drank the water on the base, it's important to find out."

MoD drinking water data for Brize Norton, Mildenhall and Lakenheath in 2023 shows levels of PFAS in drinking water are within guidance levels. But Watts said just because the levels are safe now doesn't mean he hasn't been highly exposed in the past.

A recent report from RAF Mildenhall said they used carbon filtration to reduce PFAS levels to below 70 ng/l, and the UK Ministry of Defense began monitoring PFAS levels in water in 2020. In 2023, they expanded the monitoring scope from 17 PFAS compounds to 29 PFAS compounds. Public water companies have tested for 48 PFAS.

"Regulators and water companies are currently diligently testing our water for PFAS levels," Megson said. "It is very concerning that the drinking water at these bases may not have been tested with the same rigor, so the contaminated water may have been used by the military." Personnel used for many years.”

A spokesman for the Ministry of Defense said: "Ensuring the safety of our staff, personnel and the public is our top priority, which is why we comply with relevant laws and regulations. As the understanding of these chemicals changes, we have made Response accordingly. We have prioritized a survey of our site and the plan has been agreed with the Environment Agency.”