At the PCE/TCE Northeast Contamination Site (f.k.a. York Northeast Groundwater site), a groundwater plume containing volatile organic compounds (VOCs) (predominantly trichloroethene (TCE) has been identified, extending southeastward from approximately West 26th Street and North Division Avenue for about three miles to the intersection of Road O and Road 13.
In 2010, NDEQ conducted a Site Inspection (SI) and Expanded SI (ESI) for the PCE/TCE Northeast Contamination site. The SI found TCE and tetrachloroethene (PCE) exceeding maximum contaminate levels (MCLs) for drinking water, in untreated water samples from five private drinking water wells on East Avenue, East 19th Street and North Delaware Avenue. TCE concentrations exceeded the 5 microgram per liter (μg/L) MCL and Nebraska’s Voluntary Cleanup Program (VCP) Remediation Goals (RG) at three of these locations. The site was referred to the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) for a removal action. EPA sampled the five private drinking water wells previously sampled and two additional private wells in March 2010. TCE was detected at 53 μg/L at one residence where 45.5 μg/L had been detected during the SI/ESI in January 2010. At four other residences, TCE was detected at concentrations between 3.3 and 9.6 μg/L. Carbon Tetrachlorine (CCl4) was detected at 5.5 μg/L in one well located about one mile southeast of the former United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) facility (north of the TCE-impacted wells). This detection was above the CCL4 MCL of 5 ug/L. Where detected, PCE concentrations in these wells ranged from 0.85 to 2 μg/L.
As part of the removal action, residences with TCE and/or CCl4 contamination above the MCL are being provided connections to the municipal drinking water system or whole-house carbon filtration systems.
In late 2013, the site was proposed for listing on the National Priorities List.
