The PFAS Story in Security-Widefield
In 2016, Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment testing revealed that private wells in Security, Widefield, and Fountain had been contaminated with PFAS from decades of AFFF firefighting foam use at Peterson Air Force Base (now Peterson Space Force Base). The levels found were staggering — some wells at more than 1,370 parts per trillion, when the EPA health advisory at the time was 70 ppt. The new EPA MCL (2024) is 4 ppt.
The response was swift. Bottled water was provided to affected residents. The Security Water District and Widefield Water District worked to connect affected homes to alternative water supplies and eventually upgraded their treatment systems with granular activated carbon (GAC) filtration. DoD funding helped offset costs. It was — and remains — one of the most significant PFAS contamination events in Colorado history.
Where Things Stand Today
Municipal water in Security and Widefield has been upgraded. If you receive water from these districts, PFAS is being treated at the system level. That's genuinely good news. However:
- Private wells that have not been connected to municipal service still need individual testing
- Newer residents may have moved in after initial remediation without realizing the contamination history
- Contamination plumes can shift over time — a clean test from 2018 may not reflect current conditions
- Shorter-chain PFAS compounds are more difficult to treat and monitor than PFOA/PFOS
What Private Well Owners Should Do
If you're on a private well in Security-Widefield and haven't tested for PFAS in the past 2-3 years, testing is the responsible first step. A certified PFAS lab panel costs $150-300 and gives you definitive answers. If your results show contamination:
- An NSF-certified reverse osmosis system (NSF/ANSI 58) removes 94-99.8% of PFAS compounds — the most effective residential solution for drinking water
- A point-of-entry granular activated carbon system treats all water entering the home
- Standard Brita or pitcher filters do NOT effectively remove PFAS
Hardness and Other Water Quality
Beyond PFAS, Security-Widefield municipal customers deal with moderate hardness from the Pueblo Reservoir and local well blend. At 6-10 GPG, it's not as extreme as Pueblo's 10.5 GPG, but enough to cause noticeable scale on fixtures and showerheads over time. A water softener may be appropriate depending on your specific test results — we'll tell you honestly whether it makes sense.