F.E. WARREN AIR FORCE BASE, Wyo. -- According to results published in the base's annual drinking water Consumer Confidence Report, F.E. Warren Air Force Base continues to procure high-quality drinking water that meets the Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) Safe Drinking Water Act standards. F. E. Warren does not use local groundwater for consumer usage and all consumable water is procured through the City of Cheyenne Board of Public Utilities (BOPU) located in Cheyenne, Wyoming.
F. E. Warren’s drinking water is provided by the water distribution system and piped into any base facility.
“There is no doubt F. E. Warren’s drinking water is safe. We care about the health and welfare of our residents and surrounding community members, and we understand water safety is a real and valid concern,” said Lt. Col Michelle Ghee, 90th Medical Group Bioenvironmental Engineering Flight Commander. “That is why we not only ensure we are procuring water from a facility that meets EPA standards but also conduct our own monthly tests.”
Q&A:
1. Where does F. E. Warren get its water from?
A. F. E. Warren’s drinking water is procured from City of Cheyenne Board of Public Utilities (BOPU). BOPU receives water from various locations such as Douglas Creek located in the Snowy Range Mountains. For a more detailed list of BOPU water sources, please refer to section 2 of the 2017 Cheyenne Board of Public Utilities Consumer Confidence Report.
2. Does a faucet filter offer protection against contaminants?
A. There are no contaminants in the drinking water, but the decision to use filters is up to base housing residents. In addition to the treatment facilities providing the required sanitary measures, all drinking water provided to base facilities and residences is tested monthly for contaminants by the base Bioenvironmental Engineering office.
3. Will boiling the water remove the contaminants? How do you remove contaminates from the water?
A. Since the installation does not use local groundwater, there is no need to boil water from the water distribution system. There are no contaminants in F. E. Warren AFB’s drinking water and it is safe for everyday use. F. E. Warren procures water from the BOPU, and is tested monthly by the base Bioenvironmental Engineering office to ensure and verify its safety.
4. Are my medical conditions a result of the water contamination?
A. There is no contamination in the procured drinking water. Any medical conditions should be discussed with healthcare providers.
5. In 2016 the water quality was fine, why are we finding out it’s not now?
A. The report covered by national media outlets refers to local groundwater. F. E. Warren does not use local groundwater for consumer usage. All water is procured from BOPU and tested monthly to ensure EPA standards are upheld.
6. Do we have a water treatment facility on base?
A. F. E. Warren does not have a water treatment facility on base. F. E. Warren’s water is procured from BOPU. Additionally, all water received from BOPU is tested monthly for contaminants by the base Bioenvironmental Engineering office.
If you have questions regarding the safety of F. E. Warren’s drinking water, please contact 90th Missile Wing Bioenvironmental Engineering at 773-3088 or 90th Missile Wing Water Quality Program Manager at 773-4359.
Click the link below to read the most current Consumer Confidence Report for F.E. Warren Air Force Base.
2017 FE Warren AFB Consumer Confidence Report.pdf