Water Quality

The Jackson Hole Airport is committed to the safety and health of our passengers, staff, and surrounding community. The Airport has therefore taken voluntary measures to investigate the potential for per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) to be found in groundwater on and adjacent to Airport property. As the United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) updates regulations and designations related to drinking water standards, the Jackson Hole Airport Board continues to update the Airport’s PFAS Management Plan accordingly. The proactive water quality management measures taken by the Board since 2020 have placed the Jackson Hole Airport ahead of other commercial service airports in the United States. The Board continues to test both on- and off-airport drinking water wells and provide whole-house filtration systems for any drinking water well located within the Airport’s Eligibility Boundary Area.

The Jackson Hole PFAS Management Plan is a live document that is updated regularly with sampling results and changes to regulatory standards. Refer to the PFAS Management Plan for detailed information about the background of PFAS, a regulatory overview, actions regarding AFFF and F3, investigations and sampling events, and continued monitoring efforts that Jackson Hole Airport has undertaken to date.

PFAS Frequently Asked Questions are also updated on a regular basis.

Updates

November 2024 On-Airport Sampling results

November 2024: The Airport conducted a round of testing from on-airfield monitoring wells and the Control Tower drinking water well. Groundwater samples were collected from one water supply well (Control Tower) and nine permanent monitoring wells (JH-1, JH-1.5D, JH-1.5R, JH-2, JH-2.5, JH-3, JH-3DR, JH-4R and JH-DI1). JH-3.5 did not have enough water to conduct sampling.

PFOS concentrations above the MCL of 4 ppt were detected in seven monitoring wells; while PFOA concentrations above the MCL of 4 ppt were detected in four wells. PFHxS was detected in six wells above the MCL of 10 ppt. While PFNA and HFPO-DA were not detected in the monitoring wells above the MCL of 10 ppt. (Please see Section 2.1 in the PFAS Management Plan for information on the MCLs). In general, PFOA and PFOS concentrations were higher than concentrations detected in June 2024, likely due to lower groundwater elevations.

Eligibility Boundary for Airport-Provided Whole House Filtration Systems

On June 29, 2021, the Jackson Hole Airport Board voted to offer whole-house filtration systems for installation on domestic water wells which, based on available testing data from domestic water wells, were estimated to test at or above a 10 ppt threshold for combined PFOA and PFOS. An “allowance for variability” concept was authorized for use in developing the Eligibility Boundary (“EB”) to account for possible seasonal testing, and other factors contributing to variability over time. Based on the EPA’s update to drinking water health advisories in June of 2022, the Jackson Hole Airport Board expanded the Eligibility Boundary area for whole-house filtration system installations. from the previously Board-announced 10 ppt level to any detection of PFOS and PFOA within the EB.

In April 2024, the EB map was revised again to use the 4 ppt Drinking water MCL as the boundary. The parcels included in the attached revised EB map are eligible for Airport-provided filtration systems. Residents whose parcels fall within the EB will be eligible to receive, at no cost to them, a whole-house domestic water filtration system that is certified to remove PFOS and PFOA. If any portion of a parcel is located within the EB, any domestic water well on the parcel will be eligible for a filter. Water filters will be provided for domestic water wells only. It is the property owner’s responsibility to request installation of a filter system. If a single residence requires more than one filter due to its size, additional system(s) will be provided and installed. The Board also determined to provide, at its expense, the main replacement filters for the systems for the foreseeable future for each system installed.

If a new residence is constructed on an eligible parcel, it may be eligible to receive a filter system. The owners of new residences must submit a copy of their Teton County building permit and coordinate the timing of installation with their construction.

If a parcel that falls within the EB is subdivided in the future, only new domestic water wells on newly delineated parcels where some portion is within the EB will be eligible for a filter system. The owners of new residences on qualified new sub-parcels must also submit a copy of their Teton County building permit and coordinate the timing of installation with their construction.

To request a filtration system, please contact the Jackson Hole Airport by emailing community@jhairport.org or calling (307) 733-7695.

Note that the EPA’s Lifetime Health Advisory for drinking water accounts for only PFOA and PFOS compounds. The ITRC standards for Human Health Soil Screening Level and protection of Groundwater Screening Level include PFBS, in addition to PFOA and PFOS.

A figure with the cumulative data from on-airfield well sampling events and a cumulative data table can be found here.

The Airport will continue to re-test wells for the foreseeable future, both in wet and dry seasons, for further analysis.

The Airport is continuing to evaluate next steps in the investigation process to better refine its understanding of the PFAS issue and updates to this page will continue as new information and continued monitoring results are available.