Background
The
site involves an active laundry business and a former dry cleaner in Sikeston,
Missouri, where a chemical called tetrachloroethylene (PCE) has contaminated
the groundwater, affecting two of the city's public drinking water wells. The
Missouri Department of Natural Resources (MoDNR) asked the U.S. Environmental
Protection Agency (EPA) Region 7 to take action to protect the public drinking
water wells and address the risk of harmful vapors entering buildings. On
November 25, 2024, EPA reached an agreement with Vestis Services, LLC, the
company responsible for the contamination, requiring them to:
1. address the impact on public drinking water
2. map out the extent of groundwater contamination
3. assess and reduce vapor intrusion risks; and,
4. establish controls to prevent future issues.
The contamination affected public drinking water wells #8 and #13. Well #8 had detections of PCE from 2006 to 2024, when the well was taken out of service due to a lightning strike. On two occasions in 2009, PCE in well #8 exceeded health-based standards for drinking water. Well #13 was installed in 2013 and PCE was detected in the well beginning in 2021. After well #8 was taken out of service in 2024, PCE and its related breakdown contaminants have not been detected in treated water. Treated drinking water served to the public has not exceeded health-based standards. These health-based standards for drinking water are referred to as “Maximum Contaminant Levels” or MCLs.
EPA Clean-Up Oversight
1. Address the impact on public drinking water
Vestis partnered with the Sikeston
Board of Municipal Utilities to construct a new drinking water well and connect
it to the city water treatment plant. Drinking water well and water piping
construction work occurred from February to June 2026. The new drinking water
well was approved for public use on June 18, 2026. Impacted wells #8 and #13 are no longer in
use.
2. Map out the extent of groundwater contamination
Vestis contractors have installed
a network of monitoring wells, conducted sampling, and have identified the extent
of groundwater contamination. Multiple rounds of sampling were conducted from
2018 – 2026.
3. Assess and reduce vapor intrusion risks
Vestis and EPA contractors tested
all buildings near the groundwater contamination for vapor intrusion
risks. Vapor intrusion, where harmful
chemicals enter buildings as gas, was previously found at the Vestis facility,
and a system was installed to reduce it. Testing of buildings for vapor
intrusion occurred from June 2025 to April 2026. The Vestis facility was the
only building that required mitigation.
4. Establish controls to prevent future issues
EPA and MoDNR are developing
agreements for impacted properties that sets rules for how the land can be used
and what protections must be kept in place because some contamination remains.
Vestis will be required to
continually monitor the groundwater contamination and the system installed to
mitigate the vapor intrusion.
Conclusion
On June 18, 2026, the removal action was completed. All contaminant exposure pathways were mitigated. The site will be transitioned to a long-term program for future evaluation.
