On 8/24/2005, EPA received information that two private drinking water wells near Reardan, Washington contained unusually high levels of Trichloroethene (TCE), a commonly used solvent. The TCE was discovered during the EPA Preliminary Assessment and Site Inspection of a former Air Force Nike Missile Battery in the area. Based on the results of sampling that took place during the Preliminary Assessment and Site Inspection, the TCE levels were found to be roughly 15 and 30 times the federal drinking water standard of 5 parts per billion.
Based on this finding, EPA Region 10 immediately dispatched an OSC and START contractors to take further water samples from the affected residences and adjacent neighbors.
