Thousands of bottles of water are staged at the Navy Exchange’s water distribution center on the support site in Gricignano. The Navy began giving out free bottled water last week to reduce exposure to possible contamination in off-base homes. (Lisa M. Novak/Stars and Stripes)
NAPLES, Italy — The Navy handed out more than 74,000 liters of bottled water to military and civilian employees living off base during the first week of the water giveaway.
The Navy started distributing the water Sept. 22 after a health study determined that contaminants in the water of some off-base residences might put servicemembers and U.S. civilians at risk. So far, slightly more than 800 of more than 1,500 eligible households have taken the Navy’s offer of free water.
Each person living off base in the Naples area is entitled to four liters of water per day, and can draw up to a 10-day supply.
The Navy Exchange initially purchased some 155,000 two-liter bottles of water in anticipation of selling it to the Navy once funding for the distribution plan was approved. Navy Exchange officials would not provide a copy of the purchase order showing how much the Navy was charged, but Navy officials said they were authorized to purchase approximately $144,000 worth of water. The money came from the Emergency and Extraordinary Expense funds, approved by Secretary of the Navy Donald Winter last month.
Agencies using EEE funds have broad discretion in how the money is spent, according to federal law. Despite its name, the fund covers a broad range of uses that aren’t necessarily classified as emergencies.
"There has been nothing found to date that would indicate an immediate crisis," Navy officials said in a written statement regarding the purchase of the water. "In order to be protective of long term human health, however, it is important that U.S. personnel living off base continue using bottled water for cooking, drinking, making ice and brushing teeth."
During the Navy’s ongoing public health assessment in Naples, 166 off-base homes were tested for soil and water contaminants. Nearly one-third of those homes indicated unacceptable levels of contaminants.
Bottled water is meant to minimize exposure to contaminated water and will be distributed until "more permanent solutions can be found and implemented," officials said.
