At the PCE/TCE Northeast Contamination Site (formerly known as the York Northeast Groundwater site), a groundwater plume containing volatile organic compounds (VOCs) - predominantly trichloroethene (TCE) - has been identified, extending southeastward from approximately West 26th Street and North Division Avenue for about three miles to the intersection of Road O and Road 13.
In 2010, the Nebraska Department of Environment and Energy (NDEE) conducted a site inspection for the site. This investigation found TCE and tetrachloroethene (PCE) exceeding maximum contaminant levels (MCLs) for drinking water in untreated water samples from five private drinking water wells on East Avenue, East 19th Street and North Delaware Avenue. TCE concentrations exceeded the 5 microgram per liter (μg/L) MCL and Nebraska’s Voluntary Cleanup Program (VCP) remediation goals at three of these locations. NDEE referred the site to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Region 7 for a removal action.
EPA sampled the five private drinking water wells previously sampled and two additional private wells in March 2010. TCE was detected at 53 μg/L at one residence where 45.5 μg/L had been detected during the site investigation in January 2010. At four other residences, TCE was detected at concentrations between 3.3 and 9.6 μg/L. Carbon tetrachloride (CCl4) was detected at 5.5 μg/L in one well located about one mile southeast of the former United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) facility (north of the TCE-impacted wells). This detection was above the CCL4 MCL of 5 ug/L. Where detected, PCE concentrations in these wells ranged from 0.85 to 2 μg/L.
As part of the removal action, residences with TCE and/or CCl4 contamination above the MCL have been provided connections to the municipal drinking water system or whole-house carbon filtration systems.
The site listed on the National Priorities List (NPL) in May 2014. Eleven residences with contaminated drinking water wells have been connected to city water supplies and/or provided with whole-house filtration systems since the Removal Action was initiated. Eight of the hook-ups/whole-house filter installations occurred after the site was listed on the NPL. The Removal Action has remained open during the Remedial Investigation step of the Superfund remediation process in the event additional private drinking water wells are identified.
The Remedial Investigation will be completed in Spring 2025 and the Removal Action is scheduled to close by 9/30/2025.
