Sarpy County, Nebraska: drinking water report. Sarpy County sits just south of Omaha with a population of about 195,000, making it one of Nebraska's…
Sarpy County sits just south of Omaha with a population of about 195,000, making it one of Nebraska's fastest-growing counties. The Metropolitan Utilities District serves part of the county with Missouri River water, while communities like Bellevue, La Vista, and Papillion operate their own systems using alluvial groundwater wells. Offutt Air Force Base – headquarters of U.S. Strategic Command – occupies the county's southeastern section.
Offutt AFB has confirmed extensive PFAS contamination. According to the Air Force's 2024 environmental investigation, AFFF firefighting foam contaminated groundwater beneath and around the base, with PFOS concentrations exceeding 500 ppt at fire training area monitoring wells. The contamination plume has migrated off-base, and the Air Force has been testing private wells in Bellevue neighborhoods adjacent to the base.
The 2019 Missouri River flood inundated portions of Offutt AFB, potentially redistributing contaminated soil and spreading PFAS-laden water across a wider area. A 2024 Nebraska DEQ assessment found PFAS above the state's advisory level in three water system monitoring points in the county.
Bellevue residents near Offutt AFB are in the documented PFAS contamination zone. The Air Force has provided bottled water and treatment systems to some affected properties, but the characterization of the full plume extent is still underway.
Check your water for current monitoring data. For PFAS at the concentrations found near Offutt, reverse osmosis is the most effective household treatment. Our water filter guide covers systems rated for high-concentration PFAS. Pull your detailed report for trends, and visit our Nebraska page for statewide context.