Tucson has filed a lawsuit against the federal government, specifically the Air Force, for ongoing contamination of the city’s drinking water supply with forever chemicals called PFAS. The city is seeking compensation for damages and for the Air Force to cover the costs of a treatment system to remove PFAS from the water. PFAS are hazardous substances that can cause serious health issues with long-term exposure. Tucson first reported PFAS contamination in 2013, and since then, several wells have been taken offline due to high levels of contamination. The city has invested millions in remediation costs and blames the Air Force for using PFAS-based firefighting foams that released contaminants into the environment. The EPA ordered the Air Force to clean up contaminated groundwater in May, but the Air Force asked for the order to be withdrawn in July, stating that they were already committed to ongoing PFAS response efforts. The EPA later determined that the Air Force had complied with the order after outlining a plan to address the contamination. Tucson’s water utility stopped serving water treated at the Tucson Airport Remediation Project due to increased PFAS levels, impacting trust in the city’s water supply. Ultimately, Tucson is seeking accountability and financial support from the federal government to address the ongoing PFAS contamination issue.
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Tucson files lawsuit against federal government over PFAS pollution at Air Force base
