Residents with private wells near Naval Air Station Jacksonville can sign up Thursday, Sept. 24, for free testing for per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances, or PFAS. The drop-in open house runs from 6 to 8 p.m. at Whitehouse Elementary School, 11160 General Ave.

The event is the last of three sessions the Department of the Navy held Sept. 22-24 to address potential PFAS contamination, as first reported by Action News Jax. A separate session for NAS Jacksonville-area residents took place Wednesday, Sept. 23, at the Courtyard by Marriott in Orange Park.

PFAS are synthetic chemicals found in consumer products and in a military firefighting foam known as AFFF, or aqueous film-forming foam. The Navy's own Naval Facilities Engineering Systems Command website identifies AFFF use as the most common source of PFAS releases at NAS Jacksonville. The chemicals are present in on-base groundwater.

Earlier testing found PFAS in nearby wells

In 2018, the Navy sampled 21 private wells near the base. Of those, 12 showed some level of PFAS. Three had detections at or above the Navy's interim action level of 12 parts per trillion for PFOA and PFOS, two common types of PFAS.

The Navy is now expanding its search. It is seeking permission to resample those wells using improved laboratory methods and has determined the sampling area should be wider.

The 2026 National Defense Authorization Act, signed into law Dec. 18, 2025, authorized the Navy to provide interim solutions for households where PFOA or PFOS levels exceed EPA drinking water standards. Those solutions include connection to public water or installation of a treatment system. As of that date, at least one home near NAS Jacksonville had already qualified for alternative drinking water, according to the command.

"We want our neighbors to have the information they need and an opportunity to have their private drinking water wells tested," Capt. Ryan Dexter, commanding officer of NAS Jacksonville, said in a statement Tuesday, Sept. 22.

How the free well testing works

At Thursday's open house, residents can review eligibility maps and speak with Navy and state technical experts. They can also register for well sampling. An accredited independent laboratory will analyze the water using EPA-approved methods.

Preliminary results are expected about 30 days after collection. Final validated results will be mailed to property owners about three months after sampling.

What happens if wells test high

If PFAS linked to Navy activities exceed federal action levels, the Navy will provide water filtration systems while working to connect affected properties to public water. Wells testing above 70 parts per trillion for PFOA or PFOS, individually or combined, qualify for bottled water for drinking and cooking in the interim.

Residents whose drinking water comes from JEA do not need Navy testing, according to the command.

Property owners who could not attend the open houses can check eligibility and request sampling at www.navfac.navy.mil/NASJaxPFAS or by calling 833-529-7327.