NR – 11.002 15 September 2011
14 WING GREENWOOD – 14 Wing expects to cease using potable water from the Municipality of the County of Kings by 31 March 2012, upon completion of the final connection and subsequent flushing of the Wing's distribution piping.
A new deep water supply well has successfully been drilled near the Residential Housing Units (RHUs) on the east side of the Base. This supply well will provide potable drinking water for the RHUs and the entire Support side of the Base. A contract has been tendered to install the necessary water pumping equipment and to connect the well head to the existing water distribution system. The tender closed on 1 September 2011 and it is anticipated being able to make the final connections by the end of December 2011.
A second production well will be established for the Operations side of the Base. Separate contracts for the drilling of the well and construction of the water distribution system will be tendered in the fall 2011 and winter 2012. Occupants of buildings on the Operations side will have to maintain use of bottled drinking water until the new well and associated connections are connected to the new water distribution system. This project is expected to be completed by August 2013.
The Wing has worked closely on this issue with the Nova Scotia Environment Department, the Health Promotion and Protection Department of Nova Scotia, Health Canada and Environment Canada.
On March 24, 2010, a Drinking Water Avoidance Advisory was issued due to water sampling results from 14 Wing Greenwood that showed the presence of Perfluoroctane Sulfonate (PFOS) at levels above the Health Canada Guidance Value. The value for PFOS in drinking water is protective of all health effects, based on lifetime exposure. The water avoidance advisory was issued as a precautionary measure and will remain in effect until PFOS levels are below the Health Canada Guidance Value. In May 2010, the Water Advisory was lifted for those parts of the Wing that were hooked up to the Kings County Municipal Water System.
PFOS has been widely used in applications involving water, oil, soil and grease repellents for fabric, leather, packaging and rugs and carpets, for both domestic and commercial use and as additives in firefighting foams and paints and coatings. PFOS and its salts are persistent in the environment and may cause bioaccumulation and biomagnifications of the chemical in wildlife.
