United States Environmental Protection Agency
Region IV
POLLUTION REPORT

Subject: 

Southern Meadows (the "Site") is a subdivision in Stokesdale, NC, Guilford County.  In the mid 90's wells were found to be contaminated with 1,2-dibromoethane (EDB), also referred to as ethylene dibromide. Concentrations of EDB were detected in residential wells as high as 33.0 ug/L.  NC Division of Water Quality (NCDWQ) conducted a groundwater investigation and determined the source to be within the subdivision.  This area was formerly a tobacco farm.  There have been no potentially responsible parties (PRPs) identified.  Upon discovery (mid 90's) of the contamination, the Guilford County Health Department installed point of entry (POE) carbon filtration units at each residence.  Carbon filtration units are temporary solutions and require thorough and constant maintenance.  Previously a grant had been given to the county to extend Winston Salem's water line to Pond Ridge Court.

Previously, North Carolina Department of Environmental Natural Resources (NCDENR) conducted residential water well sampling and found elevated levels of ethylene dibromide above the removal action levels (RALs).  NCDENR requested the Environmental Protection Agency's (EPA) assistance for four residents in the Southern Meadows Subdivision.

7701 Pond Ridge Court - 33.0 ppb
7708 Pond Ridge Court - 12.1 ppb
7800 Pond Ridge Drive - 11.2 ppb
8100 Southern Meadows Drive - 6.8 ppb

Upon request from NCDENR, OSC Rhame met with the Guilford County Dept of Environmental Health and found that three of the four residents were connected to city water:

7701 Pond Ridge Court (CONNECTED)
7708 Pond Ridge Court - 12.1 ppb
7800 Pond Ridge Drive (CONNECTED)
8100 Southern Meadows Drive (CONNECTED)

OSC Rhame then conducted a site visit at 7708 Pond Ridge Court and spoke with the one resident that there was no information available as to whether they were connected to city water.  OSC found that the residents had recently purchased the home (within the last year) and they were not aware of the contaminated well water issue.  The resident advised the OSC that they did have a filter, but did not know if the filter was installed because of the contamination.  The resident was also unaware if the filter was effective in treating the contaminant of concern.  The only maintenance performed on this filter had been changing out the suspended solids "filtration sock".  OSC Rhame provided temporary bottled water to the residents until additional water sampling was performed.

NCDENR requested that the Emergency Response and Removal Branch (ERRB) of EPA sample residential wells in the area to determine if a removal action can be conducted.  EPA has sampled in and around the neighborhood.  Nine homes have been sampled, three of which are on filtration units.  These 3 filtration units returned EDB concentrations above the Removal Action Level (RAL) of 0.6 ug/L pre filtration and above the Maximum Contaminant Level (MCL) of 0.05 ug/L at post filtration.  Current sampling indicates contamination to be within the neighborhood.  

Sampling conducted by EPA and START detected concentrations of EDB in groundwater pre-filtration up to 18.0 ug/L; exceeding both the RAL(0.6 ug/L) and the MCL (0.05 ug/L).  Breakthrough at post filtration concentrations of EDB were detected at one filtration unit at 0.057 ug/L.

All 9 homes were notified by access agreements, several site visits, and phone calls of EPA's offer to connect their homes to the existing water line. Of the 9 homes, residents at 7708 Pond Rigde Court & 7805 Pond Ridge Court provided EPA with signed access agreements allowing EPA to connect them to the exisiting water line. On September 17, 2009 ERRS subcontracted with Pipe Tech Plumbers to install lines at both aforementioned homes and received passing inspections from the County. The city also installed meters at 7708 Pond Ridge Court and 7805 Pond Ridge Court.  City water is now running to both houses.  All excavated areas have been backfilled and restored.

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