Polution Situation Report

U.S. ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY
POLLUTION/SITUATION REPORT
Mystery Spill -- Ottoville, Ohio - Removal Polrep

EPA Emergency Response

UNITED STATES ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY
Region V

Subject:

POLREP #3
Progress
Mystery Spill -- Ottoville, Ohio
Z5J5
Ottoville, OH
Latitude: 40.9330250 Longitude: -84.3397360

To:

Michael Chezik, US Department of Interior
OSLTF USCG, USCG
David Schilt, Ohio EPA
Duty Officer, NRC
Scott Shane, Ohio EPA
Mark Horwitz, USEPA
Jeff Kelley, USEPA
Freddie Thompson, USCG
Kevin Clouse, OEPA
John Tielsch, US EPA
Kaushalya Khanna, US EPA

From:

Stephen Wolfe, On-Scene Coordinator

Date:

5/13/2010

Reporting Period:

December 25, 2009 through May 12, 2010

1. Introduction

1.1 Background

Site Number:	B5UK	Contract Number:
D.O. Number:		Action Memo Date:
Response Authority:	OPA	Response Type:	Emergency
Response Lead:	EPA	Incident Category:
NPL Status:	Non NPL	Operable Unit:
Mobilization Date:	12/21/2009	Start Date:	12/21/2009
Demob Date:		Completion Date:
CERCLIS ID:		RCRIS ID:
ERNS No.:		State Notification:
FPN#:	E10507	Reimbursable Account #:

1.1.1 Incident Category

Emergency Response -- Mystery Spill

1.1.2 Site Description

The area of concern (AOC) is the storm sewer system located under a paved (asphalt) alleyway on the south side of 161 West Canal Street, Ottoville, Ohio. The AOC is located in a mixed residential/commercial area of the village with several commercial businesses to the north (insurance company, restaurant, and sporting goods store) as well as residential apartments, commercial businesses to the east (wood working shop and gasoline station), several commercial businesses to the south (restaurants and car shop) and residential apartments are located to the west. The village's sotrm water system empties directly to the Little Auglaize River, located approximately 0.25 miles north of the AOC. The entire AOC is either asphalt road surface or concrete surfaces.

1.1.2.1 Location

The AOC is located in an alleyway located directly south of 161 West Canal Street, Ottoville, Ohio.

1.1.2.2 Description of Threat

In the Spring of 2009 the business located at 161 West Canal Street reported "gasoline odors" in their building. The fire Department investigated and could find no cause for the odors. After letting the building air out, the odors dissipated. This continued over the summer on an intermittent basis. The storm sewers were flushed and odors increased, a sewer camera was used to investigate the storm sewer, however due to the age and condition of the system, the entire line could not be investigated. As the problem worsened over the summer, the business owner contacted the Ohio EPA. Ohio EPA investiagted and confirmed the gasoline odor; however a source could not be located.   BUSTR was contacted to investigate the gasoline station located across the street and was satisfied with their findings. Ohio EPA requested assistance from the US EPA in determining the source of the odors. While waiting for the US EPA investigation, the odors worsened, and in an effort to alleviate the problem, the Village of Ottoville installed a catch basin to the storm sewer located in the alleyway. Shortly after installation of the catch basin, gasoline product was found in the storm sewer. Ohio EPA instructed the Village to place absorbent boom at the location as well as out the outfall to the River.   A fan was constructed over the top of the catch basin to pull the contaminated air from the storm sewer, thereby correcting the odor problem in the adjacent business.

1.1.3 Preliminary Removal Assessment/Removal Site Inspection Results

On November 18 and 19, 2009, US EPA conducted subsurface investigations to try and determine the source of the gasoline product. A GeoProbe was used to collect soil borings at the perimeter of the three historic gasoline stations and the two active gasoline stations and no evidence of leaked material was found.   Investigation off the monitoring wells of the current gasoline stations also indicated that there was no product leaving site. All borings consited of approximately 6 inches of fill like material, and then stiff clay for 16 feet.

GeoProbe borings were also collected in the vicinity of the alleyway where the new catch basin was installed. Gasoline odors were evident in the top 6 inches of the soil before encountering stiff clay.   Borings were not placed immediately above the storm sewer in order not to damage it.   Samples of the contminated material was sent for Total VOC (volatile organic compound) and GRO (gasoline range organics) analysis. Results indicated that the material was contamined with constituents of gasoline (Benzene, Toluene, Xylenes, etc) and the GRO result was approximately 110,000 parts per million.

Air samples were collected from within the insurance building under three different conditions, the first was an 8-hour sample with the newly installed catch basin fan off, the second was a 24-hour sample with the catch basin fan turned off, and the third was a 24-hour sub-slab sample. The results indicated that vapor (containing benzene, ethylbenzene, toluene, xylene, and other components of gasoline) was migrating via the storm sewer into the building.

The investigative results indicated that at some historic time, gasoline was spilled in the alleyway, and is now making its way to the storm sewer. There are no records for the storm sewer; however, village officials said the system was over a century old and it consisted of clay tiles.

Since gasoline was discovered in the storm sewer itself (which empties directly into a navigable waterway), the Oil Spill Liability Trust Fund was acessed in order to remove the source material from the storm sewer.

2. Current Activities

2.1 Operations Section

2.1.1 Narrative

Following the results of the US EPA site investigation, a Pollution Removal Funding Authorization (PRFA) was issued to the Village of Ottoville on November 25, 2009 to excavate and dispose of the contaminated material.

2.1.2 Response Actions to Date

After the initial response actions completed in December, 2009, gasoline odors were again reported beginning in January 2010.

The Village of Ottoville instructed their contractors to excavate across the road upstream of the sewer line that was just replaced. Products was discovered in the sewer line and two laterals were discovered that had weathered gasoline product flowing from it.   U.S. EPA collected samples of the weathered gasoline as well as samples from the Gas station pumps and submitted the samples to the USCG COIL lab for fingerprint analysis. Sample results indicated that the material leading from the laterals was weathered gasoline but could not postively identify a match due to the weathering.

The Village of Ottoville replaced that section of sewer pipe and installed ball plugs in the laterals leading from under the gasoline station. In addition, the laterals leading under the gasoline station were cleaned with a jet-vac.

On March 23rd, 2010, gasoline odors were again reported and gasoline product was discovered inside the laterals leading from under the gasoline station. The Village of Ottoville hired a contractor to clean out and dispose of the product from the laterals.

On March 25, 2010, US EPA, Ohio EPA, the Mayor of the Village of Ottoville, Putnam County EMA, Ohio's Bureau of Underground Storage Tanks and Regulations (BUSTR), The Village of Ottoville's Fire Chief and the gasoline station owner had a meeting.   The Village agreed to completely cut off the laterals from entering the storm sewer line as well as blocking the storm sewer line upstream before it entered the gasoline station property. The gasoline station's owner had hired a contractor to perform a system integrity test (ordered by BUSTR) and results indicated that the system passed inspection that day. In addition BUSTR had ordered the gasoline to perform a Tier I Source Investigation.

On March 29th, 2010, contractors for the Village of Ottoville re-excavated the laterals leading from the gasoline station property and discovered gasoline product in the newly backfilled trench. This material was disposed and the laterals were completely removed from entering the city's system by attaching a elbow on the end, which led aboveground in order for the lateral to be periodically inspected.   Absorbent boom was also placed in the pipe.   In addition, the Village excavated along the edge of the property, upstream of the lateral in order to block any flow coming from upstream. The soil and pipe in that area did not have any indication of gasoline product.

On April 20, 2010, BJAAM Environmental Inc. (hired by the gasoline station's owner) was on site for GeoProbe work.   Four wells were installed and soil samples were collected every foot.   One well (located next to gas pumps 3/4, which reportedly had a leaking shear valve replaced in the past) had gasoline odors associated with the samples. Well casings were installed for a future water sampling effort.

On Friday, May 7th, 2010 after heavy rains, gasoline odors were reported inside a restaurant located adjacent to the building with the original complaint.   The Village of Ottoville re-installed a blower system on top of the sewer manhole to eliminate the odors and changed out all absorbent boom (located inside the blocked laterals leading from the gasoline station as well as in the newly installed manhole where the blower system is located).

On Tuesday, May 11, Ohio EPA was on site and documented the gasoline odors in the alley by the blower. The laterals leading from the gasoline station were inspected and the boom was saturated with gasoline product. The wells installed by BJAAM were inspected and one well, loacted by pumps 3/4 had gasoline odors; however no sheen was visible in the water. BJAAM scheduled the wells to be sampled on May 12, 2010.

On May 12, 2010, BJAAM collected water samples prior to well development (bailing). The wells were then developed according to procedure but did not recharge with fresh water. US EPA was on site, and documented the gasoline odors in the alleyway as well as odors in the well by pump 3/4.   No product was observed in the main sewer line.

2.1.3 Enforcement Activities, Identity of Potentially Responsible Parties (PRPs)

Pursuant to Ohio Administrative Code 1301:7-9-13(C)(34)(c) BUSTR notified the gasoline station that due to the presence of petroleum product and vapors in an observation well and on-site sewer system, it meets the definiton of a suspected release (physical discovery) and assigned the site a release number (69000431-N00001).

2.1.4 Progress Metrics

Waste Stream Medium Quantity Manifest # Treatment Disposal

2.2 Planning Section

2.2.1 Anticipated Activities

Complete restoration of the excavated area (Asphalt) when possible.

Continue to investigate source of petroleum product/odors (gasoline station owner)

2.2.1.1 Planned Response Activities

Continue coordinating with the Village of Ottoville, Ohio EPA, BUSTR, and the gasoline station owner to investigate the source of product/odors.

2.2.1.2 Next Steps

Continue coordinating with the Village of Ottoville, Ohio EPA, BUSTR, and the gasoline station owner to investigate the source of product/odors.

2.2.2 Issues

Officials from the Village of Ottoville elected to replace the storm sewer line and install a manhole in the area. These activities are outside of the scope of work issued with the PRFA and the cost for performing these activities will be tracked seperately and not billed against the PRFA.

Petroleum odor indicates that there is source of gasoline; however, as of yet the source has not been found. The Village of Ottoville continues works on temporary measures to keep the odors out of nearby businesses.

2.3 Logistics Section