Air Force Sent Wastewater into Sewers up to 3 Times a Year
COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. (AP) — The Air Force says a base near Colorado Springs sent water laced with toxic firefighting foam into the city’s sewer system as often as three times a year.
Air Force officials tell The Gazette that Peterson Air Force Base stopped sending firefighting foam wastewater into sewers last year, but criminal investigators are looking into the recent discharge of 150,000 gallons of chemical-laden water from the base.
The foam is suspected of contaminating the Widefield Aquifer, rendering well water for customers in Security, Widefield and Fountain unsafe to drink.
The Air Force contends its earlier discharges of contaminated wastewater were in accordance with the city’s utilities guidelines, which Colorado Springs Utilities disputes.
The foam contains perfluorinated compounds, or PFCs, which have been linked to prostate, kidney and testicular cancer.
Related News
From Archive
- OSHA issues 16 citations following fatal sewer confined space incident
- 27 pipeline safety violations tied to deadly Pa. chocolate factory explosion
- Contractor gas line strike triggers home explosion in Missouri
- LA recovery reports call for $650 million power line burial, major utility upgrades in Pacific Palisades
- Comprehensive microtrenching FAQ: Key insights on the Vermeer MTR516 microtrencher
- T-Mobile to expand fiber broadband infrastructure footprint with $4.9 billion Metronet acquisition
- First tunnel boring machines complete testing for Hudson Tunnel Project
- NWPX grows water infrastructure portfolio with Colorado precast facility
- Cityside launches $100 million fiber build in Corona, Calif.
- FiberLight to build 1,400-mile West Texas dark fiber network in $350 million expansion

Comments