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In hundreds of drinking water wells near Washington’s military bases, contamination from per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) has been discovered. Testing done by the Department of Defense has identified 866 private drinking water wells contaminated by PFAS, which is nearly half of all wells tested in the state over the last two years.
While public water systems in Washington are mandated to test for PFAS, private wells have no obligations. As of 2022 the military has allocated over $2 billion for investigating its role in polluting communities with PFAS and plans to spend about $7 billion more.