A look at water quality
on Air Force bases in Europe
The following is a synopsis of the quality of water at Air Force bases in Europe.
Information was provided by U.S. Air Forces Europe.
ITALY
Aviano Air Base:
Aviano Air Base is located in the northeastern part of Italy, at the base of the
Italian Alps, about 20 miles north of Pordenone. The layout of Aviano is unique because
the community consists of seven areas, which include the administrative, community and
support areas, the 16th Air Force command compound, the flight line area, a munitions
storage area, a civil engineering complex, a recreational area and a decommissioned fuel
railhead. Serving a population of roughly 5,400, the water system features six potable
wells and two emergency links to the municipal system. Treatment is minimal, usually
chlorine injection at the wellheads. Water in one base well had excessive
tetrachloroethene (PCE) in the fall of 1999. PCE is a solvent used to clean machinery,
electronic parts and clothing. The well was immediately closed and the public notified.
Follow-up sampling detected no further problems or threats to health. The average daily
water production is 400,000 to 600,000 gallons.
TURKEY
Incirlik Air Base:
Incirlik Air Base is located in the southern part of Turkey near the Syrian border.
Neighboring the city of Adana, the U.S. Air Force is a principal tenant on the Turkish
base. Ten wells, seven of which are on base, serve a population of roughly 6,700. Water
production at Incirlik averages about 3 million gallons a day. The base water treatment
plant, base storage and pumping station, and the Adana pumping station are well-maintained
and operated. The 6-year-old water treatment plant is neat, tidy and fulfills its purpose.
While the Adana pumping station and the south side storage and pumping station look their
age, they are functional. Bioenvironmental reports show no significant water quality
issues.
Izmir Air Station:
Located on the west coast of Turkey on the Aegean Sea, the U.S. military community
receives its water from the city of Izmir. The community’s population, which includes
servicemembers, dependents, civilians and retirees, is roughly 1,500. The municipal water
system is modern and well maintained. While the water coming from the plant tends to be on
the hard side, its overall quality is considered to be excellent. Water coming into
common-use areas, such as school water fountains and dining facilities, has been further
purified and softened. The effort uses several methods, including filtration, reverse
osmosis and ultraviolet light.
GERMANY
Kaiserslautern Military
Community – Vogelweh Area:
Sometimes referred to as KMC West, this section includes the Vogelweh Community Center,
the Vogelweh Military Family Housing area, Pulaski Barracks, Kapaun Air Station and Rhein
Ordnance Barracks. Two water treatment plants serve the various sites. One plant was
recently refurbished and became operational 15 months ago. While the second system is well
maintained, it and the nearby reservoir are old, dating to the 1950s. They lack basic
automation and rely on operators to make frequent checks. In addition, there are concerns
about the integrity and security of the reservoir. Upgrades to the plant and reservoir are
likely.
The quality of the treated water at both plants is generally good, although the
distribution system has had historical problems with color and taste as a result of
corrosion problems from an aged distribution system. In an effort to temporarily resolve
this, polyphosphate is dosed into the water at the treatment plants to minimize its
corrosivity. Furthermore, the Air Force, which is responsible for Vogelweh, the largest
U.S. housing area in Europe, is replacing aging water lines as part of a decade-long
renovation effort.
Nonetheless, some residents have filed formal complaints with their congressmen. Main
complaints are rust coloration of water and high lead levels. In November 1999, water
treatment for both problems was begun and has improved both iron and lead levels.
Residents are notified when lead levels exceed acceptable standard. Elevated levels do not
pose a major health risk if residents run their tap water for up to two minutes before
drinking or cooking, especially when water has been sitting in the pipes for awhile.
Officials are weighing the merits of contracting with the city of Kaiserslautern to manage
their water facilities.
Ramstein Air Base:
Ramstein Air Base, the headquarters for U.S. Air Forces in Europe, is located in the
Rheinland-Pfalz region of southwestern Germany. The existing water system features 14
wells and four water plants, serving a population of about 20,000. Water production
averages more than a million gallons a day. A recent report found no significant water
quality issues, though it detected a prevailing impression that water supply has not been
accorded the highest priority and attention it warrants. That same report referred to the
two main plants as functional but old and tired-looking. A third facility is being
refurbished and plans are under way to revive the fourth. The booster station was
described in nearly the same vein as the two main plants — “tired and
antiquated.” The preliminary report cited several operational and monitoring
problems, ranging from an outdated master plan and inadequate safety warning signs to
deficiencies in sampling and analysis work, including a lack of some basic testing
equipment.
Rhein-Main Air Base:
During a semi-annual test of drinking water last fall, bioenvironmental engineers found
slightly elevated levels of lead and copper. Results for the most recent round of tests,
conducted in April, were not yet available. Despite the elevated levels, base officials
determined the housing area’s drinking water to be safe, providing residents let idle
faucets (not used in six to eight hours) run for a minute or two. Public notification and
education are ongoing. Air Force officials are in somewhat of a predicament because the
legendary base will be turned over to Frankfurt International Airport by the end of 2005.
Because the source of the lead and copper is the interior fixtures and not the main water
lines, base environmental officials are looking at ways to reduce the presence of the
metals without an expensive renovation project. Like many other bases, Rhein-Main
officials were looking to use a polyphosphate solution to buy them some time. The
substance is a bonding agent that coats the inside of pipes, minimizing corrosion and
reducing the amount of lead and copper that enters the stream. The source water has no
detectable levels of lead, so officials are certain the culprit lies in the pipes.
Sembach Air Base:
Sembach is about 45 minutes east of Ramstein Air Base and serves a population of about
2,000. Two of Sembach’s four wells are prone to seasonal nitrate contamination from
nearby farming. At risk are infants (blue baby syndrome from nitrites). Households with
infants are provided bottled water. In addition, Sembach occasionally experiences high
levels of trichloroethane, or TCE, an organic liquid used in the making of synthetic
fibers and plastic wraps. Excessive exposure can cause liver damage and other health
problems. Due to the contamination, short-term fixes to the system were initiated last
year and longer-term options are being considered. A study scheduled last year to assess
and improve the operations and maintenance of the Sembach system was delayed so system
upgrades and modifications could be undertaken and completed.
Spangdahlem Air Base:
Spangdahlem Air Base is located about 90 minutes northwest of Ramstein in the Eifel
region of western Germany. The base population is roughly 8,500. An outbreak of coliform,
which indicates fecal contamination, occurred in the distribution system in June and July
1999. Chlorine levels were increased, lines were flushed and residents notified. The
problem was due to old pipes and warm weather. The chlorine added to water is increased in
the summer to overcome coliforms. Filters may be added at schools so early morning
flushing won’t be required. A similar outbreak remains a possibility (the summer of
2000 was OK) until all of the distribution lines are replaced. Replacement of the entire
distribution system, treatment plant and well fields will cost an estimated $22 million
and take five years to complete. The plan is to drill two new wells about a half-mile from
the base and pump the water to a new treatment plant. Due to the remoteness of the two
existing plants, officials say they are often vandalized and the supply is vulnerable.
AZORES
Lajes Field:
The Azores are a group of islands in the North Atlantic located about 800 miles west of
Portugal. The islands are an autonomous region of that country. Over the last few years,
Air Force officials have taken a number of steps to address high levels of lead and copper
in some sampling results. The actions range from replacing distribution lines and copper
fixtures to treating the water with polyphosphate, a special bonding agent that coats the
inside of pipes and prevents erosion. In addition, a new treatment plant opened in March
2000 and service lines are being replaced through 2003.
SPAIN
Moron Air Base:
It generally is recognized that the water treatment and supply facilities — most
of which date to the mid-1950s — are in poor condition and in need of a complete
overhaul. Historically, there were five drinking water pumping water stations, three of
which have been decommissioned because of high nitrate content. Wells are vulnerable to
surface contamination from pesticides and fertilizers from adjacent farmland. Problems
experienced on the air base include zero, low and high chlorine residuals,
“stale” water during low demand, high total dissolved solids, water hardness,
low water pressure during high demand periods and farmers digging their own wells on base
for irrigation purposes. Officials are reviewing various options to modify the entire
system, from drilling new wells to building additional water storage tanks.
ENGLAND
RAF Lakenheath:
RAF Lakenheath is 70 miles northeast of London and serves a population of about 7,000.
Lakenheath receives its tap water from two on-base wells and a public water connection.
One well has low-level trichloroethylene contamination. Trichloroethylene is a
nonflammable, colorless liquid used mainly as a solvent to remove grease from metal parts.
The chemical also is an ingredient in adhesives, typewriter correction fluids and paint
and spot removers. It is found in most underground water sources and many surface waters
as a result of the manufacture, use and disposal of the chemical. Water treatment includes
chlorine disinfectant, phosphate addition for corrosion control and fluoridation.
Additionally, Lakenheath water is sometimes high in nitrates due to nearby farming, with
levels approaching the maximum contaminant standard. For example, several weeks ago, well
water from a base site began exceeding the standard, leading officials to switch to an
alternative source. Monitoring has been increased. People are encouraged not to boil the
water because that increases the concentration of nitrates as water evaporates.
RAF Croughton:
RAF Croughton, located in the flat plain of Gloucester west of London, serves a
population of about 450. It has two sources of water supplying the base’s domestic,
industrial and fire demands — the Rowler Springs collection area and a public water
supply. Water from the springs passes through sand filters and a chlorination stage prior
to pumping to the base. The water is stored on base and then rechlorinated prior to
distribution.
RAF Fairford:
Located in the flat plain of Gloucester west of London, RAF Fairford serves as a
contingency base for USAFE missions. It serves a population of about 450, but that number
can increase tenfold during contingencies and exercises. The base receives drinking water
from two on-base wells. Water treatment is limited to chlorination and fluoridation.
RAF Mildenhall:
RAF Mildenhall is located near Lakenheath and serves a population of about 4,000.
Mildenhall receives its water from an on-base well and has a backup. The well has
trichloroethylene and perchloroethylene contamination. Trichloroethylene is a
nonflammable, colorless liquid used mainly as a solvent to remove grease from metal parts.
Perchloroethylene is a chlorinated hydrocarbon solvent commonly used in dry-cleaning
fluid, spot removers and degreasers. If ingested, perchloroethylene can result in central
nervous system depression and liver damage. Chronic exposure may result in liver damage.
Perchloroethylene is a known animal carcinogen that has caused liver cancer in laboratory
mice. Water treatment includes an air stripper, granulated activated carbon filtration for
hydrocarbon removal and chlorination. Fuel has leached into the ground water, but steps
were taken to clear it up. Current sampling shows no problem.
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