The West Highway 6 and Highway 281 Site is located approximately at the intersection of Nebraska Highway 6 and Nebraska Highway 281 on the southwestern edge of the city of Hastings, Nebraska. Groundwater contamination associated with the site may encompass portions of Sections 12, 13, 14, 23 and 24 of Township 7 North, Range 10 West, along the extreme southern portion of the city of Hastings, Adams County, Nebraska. Investigations show that chlorinated solvents, primarily tetrachloroethylene (PCE), have been released to the environment at the former Dana Corporation facility. Groundwater is the source of drinking water for some nearby residents, businesses and livestock. Groundwater is also used locally for irrigation.
Impacted drinking water supply wells at the Site include the city of Hastings Municipal Wells #13 and #14, and privately owned wells located along or near Highway 6, east of the former Dana Corporation facility. Municipal Well #13, located approximately 500 feet southeast of the former Dana Corporation facility, was placed on emergency use in 1997 due to elevated levels of contaminants including PCE. The Nebraska Heath and Human Service System (NHHSS) also found elevated levels of PCE in Municipal Well #14, which is located approximately one mile east of the former Dana Corporation facility. At least three private water supply wells, which are hydraulically down gradient from the former Dana Corporation facility have also been impacted above the EPA Drinking Water MCL for PCE.
Dana Corporation has entered into bankruptcy proceedings and had indicated that by May 2006 they would no longer be able to continue operation of a soil vapor extration (SVE) and groundwater pumping systems they had installed at the site. An action memorandum was signed on July 11, 2006, and the SVE system was reactivated by the EPA on July 17 (the groundwater extraction system continued to operate).
Between July 2006 and March 2007 the removal program installed an air stripper to treat the groundwater which is currently being pumped to an on-site pond. In addition, the SVE was modified so that no treatment is occurring. Continued operations include daily systems checks, routine maintenance and quarterly sampling.
