The Site is located off Mills Gap Road, approximately 1 mile east of Skyland, Buncombe County, North Carolina and consists of approximately 9 acres of maintained grounds containing a large single-story building. In 1952, IRC, Inc. (IRC) bought the land for the Site and constructed the building which it then used for its electroplating operations. In 1959, IRC sold the Site to CTS, Inc. From 1959 until 1986, CTS operated an electroplating facility at the Site. The chemical compound trichloroethylene (a.k.a. trichloroethene or "TCE") was employed by IRC and CTS to clean and/or degrease metal objects prior to electroplating. In 1987, Mills Gap Road Associates (MGRA) purchased the Site and is the current owner.
In 1999, chlorinated solvents were identified in two springs and one domestic well, located topographically down-gradient from the site. In August 1999, the NCDENR referred the Site to the U.S. EPA's Emergency Response and Removal Branch (ERRB) for removal eligibility consideration .
On August 20, 1999, the ERRB conducted a removal site evaluation in accordance with the National Oil and Hazardous Substances Pollution Contingency Plan (NCP), 40 CFR §300.410 (Ref. 2). Conditions at the site, specifically contamination of potable drinking water supplies with chlorinated solvents, were found to pose a threat to public health or welfare or the environment. Consequently, bottled water was provided to the four households that had used the contaminated sources for potable water. Subsequently the affected residences were connected to the Asheville-Buncombe municipal water supply.
Analytical results derived from the samples collected from beneath the former CTS plant revealed elevated concentrations of VOCs (e.g. 830,000 ppb TCE), base neutral and acid extractable compounds (BNAs), and petroleum hydrocarbons, most likely #2 fuel oil. TCE was detected in all samples and was typically present at the highest concentrations relative to other chemical compounds identified. Sampling by EPA has indicated TCE, 1,1 TCA, and petroleum contamination in surface water emanating from the site.
Following mitigation of the immediate threat posed by the contaminated springs and waterwell, EPA entered into negotiations with the identified Potentially Responsible Parties and executed an Administrative Order on Consent (AOC) with CTS Corporation and Mills Gap Road Associates in January 2004. On-Site removal activities began in June 2004. Operation of a Soil Vapor Extraction system commenced in July 2007 and is currently on line.
On June 24, 2008, Buncombe County Health Center measured 23.7 parts per billion TCE at well in the Oaks Subdivision, approximately ¾ mile northeast of the CTS site. The well serves three households. For a point of reference, the Federal Maximum Contaminant Level (MCL), which applies to municipal drinking water supplies is 5 ppb for TCE. TCE was not detected in this well in previous testing conducted by NCDENR.
EPA provided immediately provided bottled water to two of the three homes. The resident of the third home was on vacation (bottled water was later provided). On June 25, 208 EPA contracted the installation of an activated carbon filtration at this well to mitigate TCE levels detected. Installation of the filtration system was completed on July 6th. Subsequent to installation testing of effluent from the filtration system on July 25, 2008 did not detect TCE.
Given the newly discovered residential well contamination, EPA START Contractor tested 14 residential wells in the Oaks Subdivision on June 26-27, 2008. 17 samples were collected, two of which were field duplicates. Some of these wells serve more than one household. In this testing (June 26-27) a third well measuring 20 ppb TCE (above the 5 ppb MCL) was detected. This well serves a single resident. EPA contracted the installation of an in-home water filtration system, and installation was completed on July 22, 2008.
During the June 26-27 sampling event, EPA also re-sampled the contaminated well at which EPA took action following the December 2007 sampling event (see Polrep #2). The TCE level in that well was consistent with historical sampling, measuring 51 ppb. Installation of an in-home filtration system for this well was completed on February 19, 2008. Subsequent testing of the effluent from that filtration system (conducted by Buncombe County Health Center) did not detect TCE above laboratory detection limits. EPA provided bottled water to the resident from the initial discovery of the contamination until confirmatory testing demonstrated that the filtration system was effective.
Buncombe County and the City of Asheville have agreed to extend municipal water lines to the entire Oaks subdivision. Construction should be completed in the fall. The connection to municipal water, if completed within schedule, would preclude the need for replacement filters and regular testing.
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