PFAS

PFAS stands for per- and poly-fluoroalkyl substances. These are a group of chemicals that have been widely used since the 1950s in a variety of household and industrial products to enhance resistance to heat, stains, grease and water. They have also been a component of firefighting foams that are applied to liquid fuel fires.

Traces of banned toxic chemical compounds, found in firefighting foam, were detected in water samples drawn from close to Whenuapai air base.

The West Auckland air base was in the second 'tier' of sites to be tested, as early work by NZDF suggested the risks of contaminated drinking water were less than that at Ohakea or Woodbourne, according to the Ministry for the Environment.

Drinking water at the base, the adjacent school, the village centre on Brigham Creek Rd and the recently developed Special Housing Area came from the town supply and was not affected, according to a Ministry for the Environment update.

Nearby Hobsonville, a former NZDF base, was cleared of concerns for soil contamination in March.

While PFAS compounds have been used widely for decades, recent investigations have identified that they are persistent and not known to degrade in the environment and that they also accumulate in humans and animals.

NZDF prioritised testing for PFAS at sites where firefighter training is known to have taken place historically, and where it is known that neighbours may be sourcing drinking water from bores or wells – Base Ohakea and Base Woodbourne.

We stopped training with firefighting foams in 2016. This ensures the safety of our people.