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The U.S. Navy is seeking to test private drinking wells near the Connecticut submarine base for potentially dangerous industrial compounds known as “forever chemicals.”

Navy officials say they’re trying to determine whether certain chemicals used at the Groton submarine base migrated through groundwater to private drinking levels at unsafe levels.

Officials will be testing for per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances, known collectively as PFAS. Authorities say the most common Navy use of the chemicals has been in a firefighting foam.

The chemicals have been linked to various health risks, including developmental issues in children and decreased liver, thyroid and immune system function.

While it is not clear how much PFAS contamination in the water supply may change a home’s value, in extreme cases in other states some homeowners have had to resort to bottled water due to health concerns. The greater New London area is growing in part thanks to sustained demand for workers at Groton’s Electric Boat Co. submarine shipyard.

The Navy has scheduled a public meeting on the proposed water sampling on Sept. 17 in Groton. A state task force is reviewing levels of the chemicals across Connecticut.