U.S. ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY
POLLUTION/SITUATION REPORT
Unity Ground Water - Removal Polrep

EPA Emergency Response

UNITED STATES ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY
Region V

Subject: POLREP #2
Progress
Unity Ground Water
C53Y
Unity, WI

To:
From: Steven Faryan, On-Scene Coordinator
Date: 11/13/2015
Reporting Period: November 9-13,2015

1. Introduction
  1.1 Background
   
Site Number: C53Y    Contract Number: EP-S5-08-02
D.O. Number: 0161    Action Memo Date: 9/24/2015
Response Authority: CERCLA    Response Type: Time-Critical
Response Lead: EPA    Incident Category: Removal Action
NPL Status: Non NPL    Operable Unit:
Mobilization Date: 11/2/2015    Start Date: 11/2/2015
Demob Date:      Completion Date:  
CERCLIS ID:    RCRIS ID:
ERNS No.:    State Notification:
FPN#:    Reimbursable Account #:

1.1.1 Incident Category
Time Critical Removal Action
1.1.2 Site Description

The Unity Ground Water Site is located in the Village of Unity and includes the 16 affected private wells that have been sampled and contaminated with chlorinated solvents near or above the Removal Management Levels (RMLs).  Sampling has determined the source of the ground water contamination to be the area currently occupied by the Unity Auto Mart located at 102 North Front Street in Unity, Wisconsin.     
1.1.2.1 Location
The Village of Unity is split by the county line which runs along Front Street (Highway 13).  Part of Unity is in Clark County and part of Unity is in Marathon County (Attachment 1).  The Site is the current contaminated ground water plume as defined by contaminated residential wells, and is bordered to the west by East Washington Street, to the north by Taylor Street, to the east by Russell Street, and to the south by East Wells Street   The Village of Unity is allowing the use of the treatment plant north of town and the village parking lot and maintenance building.
1..2.2 Description of Threat

A release of hazardous substances is present at the Site due to the presence of chlorinated solvents including PCE, TCE, 1, 2 cis DCE and VC in the soil and the drinking water.  The hazardous substances have migrated from the suspected source (Unity Quick Mart) and have contaminated the drinking water aquifer that is used by the residents of Unity for their private drinking water source.

 

1.1.3 Preliminary Removal Assessment/Removal Site Inspection Results

See Final Site Investigation Plan listed in Document Section


2. Current Activities
  2.1 Operations Section
   

2.1.1 Narrative
USEPA, WDNR and Environmental Quality (EERS Contractor) and subcontractors Soils Engineering Inc. (Drilling Contractor),  and Tetra Tech are on scene installing deep and shallow monitoring wells at 8 locations and sampling private residential wells managing soil and water from the drilling operations and support operations.
2.1.2 Response Actions to Date
Drilling contractor Soils Engineering Inc., began installation of shallow and deep monitoring wells on November 2, 2015 to assess the contamination plume, delineate the geology and groundwater gradients and sample the wells at 8 designated locations within the Village of Unity.  Six Shallow wells locations were completed to date and two remain to be installed during the week of November 16.    One deep well is completed at EPA 2 D and deep wells were drilled and cored at EPA 4 and EPA 5.  The wells will be set at these locations during the week of November 16.

Carbon Units were changed out with Maher Water Corp. and a licenced plumber from Chets Plumbing Service on November 4-5 2015.  Nine systems were serviced with new carbon filters and sediment filters were changed, and the water softners were re-set to alarm in one year for the next scheduled change out in 2016. The carbon units had been sampled the week of Nov 6th and results are due next week. 

Six residential well samples were collected this week to monitor the status of the residential wells in Unity.  Additional residential samples will be collected the week of November 16.
2.1.3 Enforcement Activities, Identity of Potentially Responsible Parties (PRPs)
See the Final Site Investigation Plan and Enforcement Confidential Section in the Action Memo.
2.1.4 Progress Metrics

Waste Stream Medium Quantity Manifest # Treatment Disposal
 Water from drilling operations  water  1,550 gals    on site carbon treatment  
 Soil and Mud    40 tons    staged on site  waiting in profile approval at Waste Management
           


  2.2 Planning Section
   

2.2.1 Anticipated Activities
Complete Installation of monitoring wells.  Develop wells.  Sample Wells.  Conduct geophysical work on wells using USEPA gamma logger.  Treat and discharge water being generated by drilling and development efforts.  Remove soil from drums and consolidate in roll off box.  Set up soil for disposal
2.2.1.1 Planned Response Activities
Continue installation of monitoring wells.  Sample and log wells.  Sample residential wells in Unity to assess potential movement of the plume.     Treat and discharge water generated by drilling and development efforts.
2.2.1.2 Next Steps
Continue installation of shallow and deep monitoring wells.  Sample residential wells.  Sample carbon treatment systems. Sample Monitoring Wells.  Survey monitoring wells and measure depth to water.  Prepare potentiometric surface maps showing groundwater gradients, and interpret data to determine extent of the ground water plume.

Plan public meeting to inform the community in February of 2016.
2.2.2 Issues

The first Deep well that was installed at EPA 2-D encountered issues with the plug device used on the casing which was set at approximately 55 feet deep.  The aluminum plug at the end of the casing broke free and began to spin and took over 4 hours to remove.  The aluminum filings reacted with the Portland cement in the grout and began to off gas in the drums and around the casing.  A write up and warning will be sent to the manufacturing company of the plug and this technique will not be used on site.

  2.3 Logistics Section
    No information available at this time.

  2.4 Finance Section
    No information available at this time.

  2.5 Other Command Staff
   

2.5.1 Safety Officer
Health and Safety Plan was signed and is on site.  Tale gate safety meetings are held each morning at 0730.
2.5.2 Liaison Officer
NA
2.5.3 Information Officer

No press officer or press inquirys.

3. Participating Entities
 

3.1 Unified Command
NA
3.2 Cooperating Agencies

Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources

Village of Unity



4. Personnel On Site
 

3 EQ personnel

1 USEPA

1 WDNR

1 Tetra Tech Starts

7 Soils Engineering Inc (Drilling Subcontractor)

 

 

 

 

 

 

5. Definition of Terms
  No information available at this time.

6. Additional sources of information
  No information available at this time.

7. Situational Reference Materials
  No information available at this time.