NAPLES, Italy — The Navy has yet to release the results of tests on tap water from 13 homes leased by Americans in Casal di Principe — tagged as posing a possible health concern more than five weeks ago.
Those homes were tested after the tap water of three other U.S.-leased homes in the area tested positive for volatile organic compounds.
The Navy announced Oct. 10 that it had expedited its testing analysis process, cutting from 12 weeks to an average of seven working days to complete general water testing for bacteria and volatile organic compounds, such as dry-cleaning solvents.
But those results were expected nearly a week ago.
"We’re still working on that, still waiting, and hope to have something by the end of the week," Cmdr. Jeff McAtee said Wednesday of test results on the 13 homes.
Officials did not respond by deadline to questions such as how many homes have been tested, how many have been flagged for potential problems, or why chemical results can now be provided within a business week, instead of 12 weeks.
As part of the broad health assessment launched in February, Navy officials recently started the laborious task of sampling all houses on the economy that Americans are interested in leasing through the base’s housing office. Now, before renters can sign any final lease agreement, experts will test prospective homes’ tap water systems for bacteria and chemical contaminants.
The 13 homes already were occupied by residents.
Biological tests are being done at the U.S. Naval Hospital Naples lab by personnel from the U.S. Navy-contracted Tetra Tech, "due to the perishable nature of bacteria," according to officials. A private laboratory in Germany is doing the chemical tests.
In mid-September, Navy health officials released information that tap water in three homes in Casal di Principe, a town near the U.S. Navy’s support site base and home to hundreds of Americans, tested positive for tetrachloroethylene (perchloroethylene), or PCE.
As a result of the discovery, experts from Tetra Tech planned to test the 13 other U.S.-leased homes within a 500-foot radius of the three houses.
Though the levels found in the three homes were "very small" and would only pose a health risk to the residents after many years of exposure at much higher levels, the families were required to move because the chemical is hazardous to inhale, according to Paul Gillooly, who is heading up the public health evaluation from the Navy and Marine Corps Public Health Center in Portsmouth, Va.
Volatile organic compounds are emitted by many products, including paints and lacquers, paint strippers, cleaning supplies, pesticides and building materials and furnishings, according to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency Web site.
In February, Navy officials launched a multimillion-dollar health assessment following concerns over the decades-long trash and pollution crisis in Naples, resulting in illegal burning and dumping, and burying of toxic materials.
Test results in the first phase of the assessment prompted the Navy to move some families into base housing, and hand out thousands of free bottles water to off-base households.
As of Friday, the most recent message posted by the Navy on its official health assessment Web site, Tetra Tech is scheduled to sample about eight houses awaiting lease signings each day.
The Navy periodically updates a Web site dedicated to keeping Naples-based residents informed about the ongoing assessment.
The site is: http://www.nsa.naples.navy.mil/risk/index.cfm
