Congressman calls for probe into contaminated water near air stations

A member of the U.S. House is calling for an investigation of tainted water near former naval air stations, including those in Montgomery and Bucks Counties.

U.S. Rep. Brendan Boyle (D., Pa.) on Monday requested a congressional hearing to force testimony from experts on perfluorinated compounds, and from Navy and Environmental Protection Agency officials about contaminated water near former bases.

Perfluorinated compounds, which were commonly used in firefighting foams at the air stations at Willow Grove and Warminster, have been linked to cancer and reproductive problems, and were found in drinking water near the bases in 2014.

Boyle and Republican Reps. Patrick Meehan and Mike Fitzpatrick wrote to the Navy earlier this spring demanding answers about the government's knowledge of the water problems.

Last month, federal authorities released new guidelines that set a lower acceptable of water contamination, and Pennsylvania officials began offering free bottled water to residents near the former Naval Air Station Willow Grove and Naval Air Warfare Center in Warminster.

"While I appreciate the EPA's heightened scrutiny of these contaminants and the Navy's commitment to monitoring wells and taking implicated wells off-line, I believe officials have thus far failed to present adequate information to the public regarding the latest science and known health risks posed to our community," Boyle said in a statement. "That is why I am calling for a congressional hearing."