Opinion: How will we respond to PFAS threats?

The quality of our water in eastern New Mexico is threatened by man-made chemical compounds named Polyfluoroalkyl Substances, commonly known as “PFAS,” used by the U.S. Air Force at Cannon Air Force Base as fire-fighting foam.

These chemicals are toxic and are linked to health issues including cancer, birth defects, autoimmune diseases, high blood pressure and more.

Over the past 50 years, the Air Force has washed nearly 18 million gallons of PFAS solutions into our region’s groundwater. It slowly seeped into our private and municipal water wells. As a result, our treasured Ogallala Aquifer, providing water to Curry and Roosevelt Counties, is now tainted.

In 2018, the Air Force announced that these PFAS compounds were in the groundwater at a level we now know is 370 times above those established by the EPA as safe. This means that every two months, those drinking this water received the amount of PFAS in their water deemed safe for one’s entire lifetime.

We learned in February that EPCOR was taking steps to stop its presence in the water delivered to the city of Clovis from wells six miles away from Cannon.

Is our water safe? What can be done? With the help of our New Mexico Senators Stuart Ingle and Pat Woods, the state’s budget for 2021 includes $100,000 for New Mexico Environment Department testing in the affected areas.

That’s a start in defining boundaries of the plume.

In addition, we as a group of local concerned residents have formed the Clean Water Partnership-Cannon, a non-profit association, to investigate the problem, fund water and blood tests for residents concerned about their own condition, examine soil toxicities, and find solutions to the contamination.

This includes educating the public about PFAS dangers and advocating for the interests of Curry and Roosevelt County residents to both state and federal governments.

In order for this effort to succeed, it’s going to take the people of Clovis, Portales and surrounding areas to come together to stop the intrusion of this “forever chemical” in our water supplies.

We must begin not only the testing of the water, but the clean-up of our contaminated water and the testing of our citizens immediately.

We support the presence of the Air Force in eastern New Mexico, and welcome its personnel, but believe that the Defense Department and the Air Force have abiding responsibilities to protect those in our community.

It has been two years since the Air Force advised of PFAS contamination locally, but they’ve taken no action whatsoever to address the problem.

Fortunately, there is American-made technology that purifies water contaminated with PFAS. Having access to safe and abundant water is an American right. We choose to stand up for our community and protect our health, economy, and environment, but most importantly our families.

As the board of directors of the Clean Water Partnership-Cannon, we ask you as members of our communities, to join us in this effort today.

Please call 575-359-7233 or go to http://www.CWP-Cannon.org for membership information.

— CWP-Cannon board members are Kathy Elliott, Roger Hatcher, John B. Kern, Nike Gunnels Kern, Art Schaap and Timothy Rutten.