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The Washington County Lead District – Old Mines Site is located in a heavily mined region of eastern Missouri known as the Washington County Lead District. The Old Mines Site primarily includes residential areas within and around the communities of Old Mines, Kingston, Fertile, Tiff and other smaller communities. It is only a portion of the larger Washington County Lead Mining District.
Mines in the Old Mines Area include the following:
Pfizer Kingston School
Mobar Star Mine
Milchem Whale-Scott Mine
AW Wood Mine
DeSoto Mining Company – Fertile Mine
Dresser Minerals Big River
Milchem Sun Mine
General Barite Blackwell
Dresser Minerals Mine #44
Dresser Minerals Racola
H&P Mining Company
General Barite Old Mines
Terrace Mines
Pfizer Arnault School
Dresser Minerals Breton Creek #3
Dresser Minerals Mine #11
NL Bariod Blackwell
Dresser Minerals Mine #6
In August 2005, EPA began an integrated assessment that included soil and groundwater sampling in the Old Mines area. During this sampling event, EPA sampled the soil at 85 residences located on or near mining or mine-waste disposal areas. Based on this data, approximately 47% of these residential properties had soils which exceeded 400 parts per million (ppm) and roughly 13% had soils which exceeded 1200 ppm for lead. EPA also sampled approximately 77 private drinking water wells in the Old Mines area beginning in August 2005. Of these 77 wells sampled, 7 exceeded 15 parts per billion (ppb) for lead, and one well exceeded 3030 ppb for barium, which exceeds the Maximum Contaminant Levels (MCLs) for lead and barium in drinking water.
EPA recently sent a mass mailing to 900 addresses in the Old Mines area to gain access for sampling. Nearly 200 positive responses have been received to date. Excavation of the identified time critical properties continues, with 32 completed and four remaining. Ninety-three drinking water wells have been found to be contaminated with lead above the action level of 15 ppb. Bottled water is being provided to 71 of those residences; the remainder have declined.
The Remedial Action Plan Permit for the repository where the contaminated yard soils are being taken has been signed and will become effective March 13, 2007.
Sampling of properties as access becomes available.
Is lead in drinking water wells related to mining activity or is it naturally occurring?
Funding
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