Railroad TCE HSCA Site Public Hearing Warwick Township Building - - PowerPoint PPT Presentation

Railroad TCE HSCA Site

Public Hearing Warwick Township Building November 17th, 2015

• Site background and history
• Response alternatives and associated costs for

potable water supply

• Public comments on proposed response

Agenda

Site Area Map

• The groundwater is contaminated with several volatile organic

compounds (VOC’s).

• VOCs are present in commercial, industrial, and residential

products.

• degreasers, adhesives, food packaging, synthetic fibers,

dry cleaning, septic cleaners

• VOCs can reach groundwater after spills, or improper disposal,

impacting private wells. *The US Environmental Protection Agency (USEPA) established health-based Maximum Contaminant Levels (MCLs) for VOCs. These vary by individual compound.

Site Description

Trichloroethylene (TCE)

– TCE is a colorless solvent used primarily for cleaning metal parts – MCL in drinking water: 5 parts per billion (ppb) – TCE ranged from non-detect (ND) to 20.7 ppb

1, 1-Dichloroethene (1, 1-DCE)

– Breakdown product of TCE – MCL in drinking water: 7 ppb – 1,1-DCE ranged from ND to 8.6 ppb * parts per billion (ppb) = micrograms per liter (µg/l)

Site Related VOC’s

• Spring 2011 – PADEP collected samples from businesses

located along Railroad Drive and in nearby areas.

• The contamination is unrelated to contamination

affecting residential homes within the Jacksonville TCE site.

Site Background

• November 2012 - PADEP found contamination in private

home wells along Creek Rd. Bottled water was supplied as necessary.

• May 2013 - PADEP expanded the sampling area and

continued to provide bottle water as necessary.

• Spring 2014 - PADEP sampled for Perfluorinated

Compound (PFC) contamination which was recently discovered near the Naval Air Warfare Center.

Site Background

• PADEP sampled 43 residential properties.
• TCE concentrations ranged from ND-20.7 ppb.
• 8 properties exceeded the MCL for TCE.
• 1 of the 8 properties also exceeded the MCL for 1,1-DCE.
• 2 properties along Creek Rd have since privately installed

carbon filtration systems.

• PADEP continues to supply bottled water to homes with

concentrations of VOC’s above the MCL.

Residential Sampling Activities

• PADEP sampled 21 business located in the Northampton

Industrial Park & Warwick Commons Industrial Park

• TCE concentrations ranged from ND-210 ppb
• 6 properties exceeded the MCL for TCE.
• 1,1-DCE concentrations ranged from ND-99 ppb
• 4 of the 6 properties also exceeded the MCL for 1,1-DCE.

Commercial Sampling Activities

• Between 2013 & 2014 – PADEP sampled 4 different

locations of the Neshaminy Creek Tributary that runs through the Site Area.

– TCE concentrations ranged from ND-0.46 ppb.

• EPA Indoor Air Risk Assessment Study

– Collected air samples while showers were running

• PADEP plans to install 5 monitoring wells

Other Investigation Activities

Site Area TCE Results Map

Site Area TCE Results Map

Non-Detect Detections Below 5 ppb Detections Above 5 ppb TCE Concentration Distribution Map

Analysis of Response Alternatives

This step is an evaluation of possible response alternatives by PADEP to determine:

• The appropriate response for the overall protection of

human health and the environment at this site.

• The appropriate response that is in compliance with

applicable or relevant and appropriate requirements (ARARs).

Response Alternative Evaluation Criteria

• Effectiveness

Does it mitigate threats resulting from the contamination?

• Response Timeframe

Is it temporary or permanent; how long will it take to implement?

• Reliability

Does it consistently comply with health based standards?

• Feasibility

Is it feasible to initiate, install, operate, and maintain?

• Community Acceptance

Discovered through public comments and local government support

• Cost

Is it cost prohibitive, or cost-effective?

Response Alternatives

• 1. No action (Baseline)
• 2. Bottled water combined with restrictions on use of

groundwater

• 3. Carbon filters combined with restrictions on use of

groundwater

• 4. Public water line combined with restrictions on use of

groundwater

Alternative 1

No Action (Baseline Alternative)

CONS Not protective of human health Not a permanent solution Does not meet ARARs

PROS

Implementable No cost

Alternative 2

Bottled Water Combined with Restrictions on Use of Groundwater

CONS Not a permanent solution Inconvenient Not protective for all exposures Periodic sampling required

PROS

Implementable Meets MCLs Cost effective

Alternative 3

Whole House Carbon Filters Combined with Restrictions on Use of Groundwater

CONS Inconvenient-requires periodic

sampling & maintenance

PROS

Protective of human health* Meets MCLs* Permanent* Implementable Cost effective * if properly maintained

Carbon Filter System

• Sediment filter
• 2 carbon tanks
• 4’ tall
• 1’ diameter
• Three sampling ports
• Pre treatment (Raw water)
• Mid treatment
• Post treatment

Restrictions on Use of Groundwater

Alternatives 2-3: Environmental Covenants

(PA Uniform Environmental Covenant Act, 2007)

Covenants would be required for homes with VOCs above MCLs

– Agreement between PADEP and homeowner that documents presence of contaminated groundwater on the property deed – Provides guidelines for filter monitoring & maintenance requirements – Can be removed from property deed after attainment of drinking water health standards

HSCA 512 Order can be issued if agreement cannot be reached

Alternative 4

Public Water Line Combined with Restrictions on Use of Groundwater

CONS Inconvenient during construction Residents pay water bills

PROS

Protective of human health Permanent and reliable Implementable Cost effective

Restrictions on Use of Groundwater

Alternative 4: Ordinances

• Warwick and Northampton Township would each

enact an Ordinance to mandate connection to public water for all residential properties included in the project

• Ordinances would also include requirements for the

abandonment of residential wells once connected to public water

Proposed Waterline Map

Cost Estimate-PADEP Funding

Alternative 1 No Action Alternative 2 Bottled Water* Alternative 3 Carbon Units** Alternative 4 Water line

Water/ Equipment

$0 $4,200 $28,000 >$1,000,000

Sampling/ Maintenance

$0 $14,400 $22,400 $0 Total $0 $18,600 $50,400 >$1,000,000

* Alternative 2 estimate covers 1 year of bottled water for occupied homes with VOCs above MCLs ** Alternative 3 estimate covers installation of filters at homes with VOCs above MCLs, and 1 year sampling/maintenance of those systems

Response Alternative Comparisons

Criteria #1

(No action)

#2 (Bottled water) #3

(Carbon filters)

#4 (Water line)

Protects Human Health?

NO YES

(ingestion only)

YES

(with proper maintenance)

YES

Complies with ARARs?

NO YES YES YES

Permanent solution?

NO NO YES

(with proper maintenance)

YES

Reliable?

NO YES YES

(with proper maintenance)

YES

Implementable?

YES YES YES YES

Cost effective?

YES YES YES YES

Public/Municipal support?

To be determined based on public comments

PADEP’s Proposed Alternative

Alternative 4 Public Water Line Extension

PADEP funds the following activities:

• Design & Construction work to extend existing water line mains

to Creek Rd, Hill Rd, Lincoln Circle, Charter Circle, & Mearns Rd

• Lateral connections from mains to property plumbing systems
• Repairs to all road surfaces and properties disturbed by

construction

• Abandonment of private water supply wells

Josh Crooks HSCA Project Officer 2 East Main Street Norristown, PA 19401 jocrooks@pa.gov (484)-250-5784

Submit comments until December 28th 2015