PFAS Contamination Sites
Where contamination is documented, how to find your area, and what to do
PFAS contamination has been confirmed at thousands of sites across the United States — military bases, industrial facilities, and public water systems in every region of the country. This page explains the major contamination sources, points you to the best live maps, and gives you a state-by-state reference of significant documented sites.
Live Contamination Maps
These are the most reliable, regularly updated maps of PFAS contamination in the United States. Each covers different source types. Use more than one to get the full picture for your area.
The Three Main Sources of Contamination
Military bases
The U.S. military used PFAS-based aqueous film forming foam (AFFF) for jet fuel fire suppression from the 1960s onward. Decades of training exercises deposited PFAS directly into soil and groundwater at and around more than 700 confirmed installations. The contamination does not stay on the base — it migrates through groundwater into surrounding communities. People living near military bases face elevated risk of PFAS contamination in their drinking water whether they use a public system or a private well.
See our PFAS in the Military page for the full history, a base-by-base table, and guidance for veterans.
Industrial facilities and manufacturers
Companies that manufactured PFAS compounds or used them in industrial processes discharged PFAS into wastewater, released them into the air, and contaminated surrounding soil and groundwater. The most documented cases involve DuPont’s Washington Works plant in Parkersburg, West Virginia, and 3M’s manufacturing operations in Cottage Grove, Minnesota and Decatur, Alabama. But industrial PFAS contamination extends to electroplating facilities, semiconductor manufacturers, textile mills, paper mills, and chrome plating operations across the country.
Agricultural land where PFAS-containing biosolids (sewage sludge) were applied as fertilizer represents a growing contamination category. Biosolids from municipal wastewater treatment concentrate PFAS from consumer products and industrial discharges, then spread it across farmland where it migrates into groundwater and irrigation water.
Public water systems
Many public water systems draw from groundwater or surface water contaminated by military or industrial PFAS sources upstream or upgradient. The EPA’s UCMR5 monitoring program found detectable PFAS in thousands of public water systems nationwide. Water utilities serving communities near military bases and industrial sites showed the highest contamination levels, but PFAS have been detected in water systems in every state, including areas with no obvious nearby contamination source — reflecting how widely PFAS have spread through the environment.
Significant Contamination Sites by State
The following table covers documented, high-profile contamination sites across the U.S. It is not exhaustive — the EWG map lists more than 2,800 locations. These are sites with confirmed contamination, documented community impacts, or active regulatory or legal proceedings as of early 2026.
Military military base or AFFF source Industrial manufacturing or industrial discharge Water system contaminated public water utility
State
Type
Site and Summary
Alabama
Industrial
3M’s Decatur manufacturing plant discharged PFAS into the Tennessee River for decades. Downstream communities and the City of Decatur detected PFAS in drinking water. 3M agreed to fund remediation as part of broader settlement agreements.
Alaska
Military
Eielson Air Force Base near Fairbanks has confirmed PFAS contamination in groundwater from AFFF use. The remote location and reliance on local groundwater make this a significant concern for surrounding communities.
Arizona
Military
Luke Air Force Base west of Phoenix contaminated groundwater affecting multiple municipal water systems serving western suburban communities. Several utilities required treatment upgrades at significant cost.
California
Military
Travis Air Force Base, Marine Corps Air Station Miramar, and Naval Air Weapons Station China Lake are among California’s most documented military PFAS sites. Multiple community water systems near these bases detected PFAS above state action levels, which are stricter than federal MCLs.
Colorado
Military
Peterson Space Force Base (formerly Peterson AFB) near Colorado Springs contaminated groundwater in surrounding El Paso County. Private wells and community water systems showed elevated PFAS. The state provided bottled water and filter assistance to affected residents.
Florida
Military
Naval Air Station Pensacola and Tyndall Air Force Base are among Florida’s most documented military PFAS sites. The Pensacola area has been subject to state and federal investigation, with contamination found in community drinking water wells.
Georgia
Industrial
The Dalton, Georgia carpet manufacturing corridor is one of the largest industrial PFAS contamination zones in the Southeast. Decades of stain-resistant coating applications discharged PFAS into local waterways. Downstream water systems in Tennessee and Georgia detected contamination.
Illinois
Water system
Several northern Illinois communities including Rockford detected PFAS in municipal water supplies above EPA thresholds. The Illinois EPA has been active in requiring testing and treatment upgrades at affected utilities.
Michigan
Military
Industrial
Michigan has some of the most extensive documented PFAS contamination in the country. Wurtsmith Air Force Base contaminated Oscoda Township’s water supply. The Wolverine World Wide tannery in Rockford discharged 3M Scotchgard waste into local waterways affecting hundreds of private wells. Michigan has set some of the strictest state MCLs for PFAS in response.
Minnesota
Industrial
3M’s Cottage Grove and other Twin Cities manufacturing facilities discharged PFAS for decades, contaminating groundwater across Washington County and affecting municipal wells in communities including Oakdale, Woodbury, and Lake Elmo. 3M settled with the State of Minnesota for $850 million in 2018 to fund water infrastructure improvements.
New Hampshire
Military
Pease Air National Guard Base in Portsmouth is one of the most studied military PFAS sites in the U.S. Contamination of the Haven well field serving Pease Tradeport and surrounding areas triggered a major biomonitoring study of exposed residents and drove New Hampshire to enact early state PFAS drinking water standards.
New Jersey
Industrial
Water system
DuPont’s Chambers Works facility in Deepwater discharged PFAS into the Delaware River. Multiple water utilities in southern New Jersey detected PFAS. New Jersey has set some of the most comprehensive state PFAS MCLs in the country, covering compounds not yet regulated federally.
New York
Industrial
Military
The Village of Hoosick Falls became one of the first communities to receive national attention for industrial PFAS contamination when Saint-Gobain Performance Plastics was identified as the source of PFOA in the municipal water supply in 2015. Plattsburgh Air Force Base has also generated documented contamination in surrounding communities.
North Carolina
Industrial
Military
The Chemours (formerly DuPont) Fayetteville Works plant discharged GenX (HFPO-DA) and other PFAS into the Cape Fear River, contaminating drinking water for the Wilmington area and downstream communities. Camp Lejeune is separately documented as one of the largest military contamination sites in the country.
Ohio
Industrial
DuPont’s Washington Works plant just across the Ohio River in West Virginia contaminated water supplies on the Ohio side as well. The Little Hocking Water Association serving Washington County became central to early PFOA litigation. Ohio has multiple other documented PFAS sites from industrial and military sources.
Pennsylvania
Military
Water system
Willow Grove Naval Air Station and Horsham Air Guard Station contaminated groundwater affecting multiple municipal water systems in Montgomery County north of Philadelphia. Thousands of residents were served by utilities that detected PFAS above action levels. Pennsylvania has been active in requiring treatment and monitoring.
Tennessee
Industrial
PFAS from Georgia’s carpet manufacturing corridor migrated into the Tennessee River. The city of Chattanooga and downstream communities detected PFAS in river-sourced drinking water. Tennessee has also documented contamination from semiconductor and industrial facilities in other parts of the state.
Vermont
Industrial
Saint-Gobain and Chemfab facilities in North Bennington discharged PFAS that contaminated private wells serving hundreds of residents. Vermont was among the first states to conduct comprehensive groundwater testing and provide alternate water sources to affected residents. The contamination drove early state regulatory action on PFAS.
Washington
Military
Naval Air Station Whidbey Island contaminated groundwater affecting private wells in Oak Harbor. Fairchild Air Force Base near Spokane and McChord Air Force Base (now Joint Base Lewis-McChord) have also generated documented contamination. Washington state has set PFAS action levels for several compounds and operates monitoring programs near affected bases.
West Virginia
Industrial
DuPont’s Washington Works plant in Parkersburg is the most documented single industrial PFAS contamination case in U.S. history. PFOA discharged over decades contaminated the Ohio River and drinking water serving Parkersburg and surrounding communities. The resulting litigation produced the first major PFAS health studies and a $671 million settlement in 2017.
How to Assess Your Own Risk
Location matters, but it is not the only factor. Work through these questions to understand your situation.
1
Check the EWG map for sites within 5 miles of your home. Pay particular attention to military bases, airports, industrial facilities, and landfills. Contamination from these sources migrates through groundwater, often downgradient from the source.
2
Check your tap water data. Search the EWG Tap Water Database with your zip code. If you are on a public system, this shows what PFAS have been detected and at what levels.
ewg.org/tapwater
3
If you have a private well, arrange your own testing. No federal program monitors private wells. If you are within a few miles of any contamination source on the maps above, testing is essential.
See our Testing Your Water page for certified lab options and what to test for.
4
Contact your state environmental agency if you find contamination near you. State agencies have authority to investigate, require testing, and in some cases fund alternate water sources or filter programs for affected residents.
See our Your Rights page for how to file a formal complaint and what to expect.
5
If PFAS are confirmed in your water, filter it. An NSF/ANSI Standard 58 certified reverse osmosis system at your kitchen tap addresses the highest-volume daily exposure source. Verify certification at nsf.org before purchasing.
See our Action Steps page for a full prioritized checklist.
What Is Being Done About Contaminated Sites
Federal cleanup authority
The EPA’s 2024 designation of PFOA and PFOS as hazardous substances under CERCLA (the Superfund law) gave federal regulators new authority to require cleanup at contaminated sites and to pursue cost recovery from responsible parties — including the Department of Defense and AFFF manufacturers. This was a significant shift from the previous situation where PFAS contamination could not trigger mandatory Superfund cleanup.
Cleanup at contaminated sites is slow and technically difficult. Removing PFAS from groundwater requires extracting contaminated water and treating it with activated carbon or ion exchange — systems that require ongoing operation and maintenance. Permanently destroying PFAS in soil at scale remains a developing technology.
Military cleanup
The Department of Defense is conducting investigations and remediation under its Installation Restoration Program. The DoD has estimated cleanup costs in the billions of dollars and a timeline extending well into the 2030s. Progress at individual sites is publicly tracked and reported. See our PFAS in the Military page for detail.
Industrial liability
Lawsuits against PFAS manufacturers have produced major settlements. 3M agreed to pay up to $12.5 billion to water utilities. DuPont and its spinoff companies agreed to $1.185 billion. Chemours has separately settled with the State of North Carolina over Cape Fear River contamination. These settlements fund water treatment upgrades at affected utilities but do not remediate the underlying groundwater contamination at the source. See our Legal and Regulatory page for the full picture on PFAS litigation and settlements.
ForeverChemicals.info provides educational information for general consumers. Site data reflects publicly available information as of February 2026. PFAS contamination investigations are ongoing and the number of confirmed sites continues to grow. Always verify current site status directly with EPA, DoD, and your state environmental agency. Nothing on this site constitutes legal, medical, or environmental consulting advice. Last updated February 2026.