As part of the Tutu Well Field Long-Term Response Action (LTRA) activities, EPA Emergency Rapid Response Services (ERRS) contractors will provide an alternate water supply to residences with private wells contaminated with Tetrachloroethylene (PCE), Trichloroehylene (TCE), and Vinyl chloride or its breakdown products above the Maximum Contaminant Levels (MCLs) under the National Primary Drinking Water Regulations (NPDWRs or primary standards). The Virgin Island Water and Power Authority (WAPA) water mains are available for connections and will be used as the alternate water source to the individual homes to replace the temporary delivery of potable via water truck, and the previously disconnected wells.
Groundwater Remediation - The design for the groundwater remediation was completed on September 27, 2001. Subsequent groundwater modeling efforts required design modifications. These modifications were approved in July 2002. EPA received funding in FY 03 and procurement began in December 2002. The construction contract was awarded in July 2003. Construction field activities began in September of 2003 and were completed in April of 2004. Currently the system is in operation and will continue operating until the groundwater meets the remediation goals; this is not expected to occur in the near future and may potentially take an additional 10 to 20 years to complete.
As of June 2013, the EPA Remedial Program has transferred the operation of the two ground water treatment facilities to the Department of Planning and Natural Resources (DPNR) as per the Consent Decree with the USVI government. Once the transfer has taken place, EPA is prohibited from continuing the delivery of potable water to residences with wells that are unusable as potable drinking water due to PCE and TCE concentrations above the MCL.
The EPA contractors installed water line connections to five residences with wells that were shut down until the groundwater meets the remediation goals.
