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West Spokane County
June 2006
June 2006 Update on EPA activities in the Deep Creek area
Two new contaminants found in local wells.
The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) continues
to test drinking water around Euclid Road in the Deep
Creek area of west Spokane county after discovering a
chemical called trichloroethylene (TCE) in local wells
in 2004 and 2005.
EPA completed another round of sampling in March
2006 and has found two more contaminants in well
water. These chemicals, perchlorate and N-
nitrosodimethylamine (NDMA) were found in levels
that do not pose an immediate public health threat to
the general population. However, the Spokane
Regional Health District, the Washington Department
of Health and EPA are concerned that these chemicals
could pose a health threat if they increase and are
consumed for a long time.
If your well has been tested by EPA, the test results
have been sent to you. EPA will continue to test
drinking water in the Deep Creek area for TCE,
perchlorate and NDMA through August 2006. If you
are concerned about other chemicals in your water,
such as nitrate (associated with sources such as septic
systems and agriculture), please contact the Spokane
Regional Health District for more information on
testing.
Background:
EPA has been testing well water near the former
Fairchild Nike Battery 87 since 2004. In October
2004, test results showed that water from one well
contained high levels of TCE, a commonly used
solvent. Knowing that residents in the area rely on
wells for drinking water, EPA tested water from 22
homes and some monitoring wells. Three households
had higher levels of TCE than allowed by federal
drinking water standards and EPA installed water-
treatment systems in those homes to remove the TCE.
In March and April 2006, nineteen drinking water
wells were tested for TCE, perchlorate, and NDMA.
All of the wells had small amounts of perchlorate and
five homes had small amounts of NDMA. One well
had all three chemicals. We do not know if the TCE,
perchlorate, and NDMA are moving together or
separately through the water underground. EPA hopes
to learn more about where these chemicals have been,
where they are now, and where they are going by
continuing to test well water.
Where did the contamination come from?
The former Fairchild Nike Battery 87 is considered a
possible source of the TCE since it has been commonly
used at military facilities. However, TCE can be used
for degreasing machinery and other equipment so EPA
added tests for perchlorate and NDMA to see if we
could rule out the Battery as a possible source. We
chose to test for perchlorate and NDMA because they
have been found together at other former solid and
liquid rocket fuel sites.
Since we did find perchlorate and NDMA together,
EPA now considers the Fairchild Nike Battery 87 a
likely source of the contamination but the exact source
or method of contamination is still unknown. It is
possible that these chemicals were spilled on the
ground in various locations or there may be buried
drums which are leaking chemicals into the water.
Until we have more information about how these
chemicals got into the water, where they got into the
water, and how much got into the water, we will not
know if the chemicals are increasing or decreasing in
people's drinking water.
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Next steps:
Because EPA considers the former Fairchild Nike
Battery 87 to be the most likely source of the
contamination, it recently asked that Corps of
Engineers take over long-term management of this site.
That would include continued testing of well water and
maintaining of water filters. At this time, the Corps
has declined to become involved in the investigation,
but EPA is continuing to work with the Corps to
develop a plan.
EPA also is working with the health departments of the
State of Washington and Spokane County, as well as
the federal Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease
Registry (ATSDR) to address health issues. We are
working with those and other relevant agencies as we
plan for future sampling and investigations in the Deep
Creek area.
EPA will send out another update by the end of August
on the status and future of drinking water monitoring.
EPA continues to test Deep Creek wells
More About Perchlorate, NDMA, and TCE
Perchlorate can come from natural or man-made sources. Perchlorate salts are used in solid rocket fuel,
missiles, fireworks, highway safety flares, and a number of other products. Perchlorate can occur naturally in
certain types of mineral formations such as Chilean nitrates but those are not used in the Deep Creek area. One
study in west Texas also suggests a link between irrigated agriculture and naturally forming perchlorate. A
water treatment technology called reverse osmosis has been effective in removing perchlorate from drinking
water.
NDMA has been found near rocket fuel facilities and also in areas where chlorinated waste water has been
used to recharge aquifers. It also is found in some foods such as cured meats. The most effective way to
remove NDMA from water is to treat it with high intensity ultraviolet light (UV).
TCE is a commonly used degreaser and it is an ingredient in many products such as paint removers and
adhesives. TCE is a colorless liquid with a sweet smell and taste. Carbon filters are highly effective in
removing TCE from water.
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Health Considerations.
The Washington State Department of Health and the
Spokane Regional Health District reviewed results of
the EPA well testing from early 2006 for TCE,
perchlorate, and NDMA. The following information
summarizes their findings:
Drinking contaminated water is the typical way people
can be exposed to TCE, perchlorate and NDMA.
People can also be exposed to TCE while cooking and
showering because it can evaporate from the water and
enter the surrounding air. TCE exposure can also occur
through skin contact. Perchlorate and NDMA do not
release into the air easily so exposure during showering
or cooking is unlikely. Perchlorate and NDMA also are
not expected to enter the body directly through the
skin.
There is no evidence that perchlorate is a cancer
causing chemical for humans. High doses of this
chemical, however, can affect the uptake of iodine by
the thyroid gland. The low levels of perchlorate found
in the drinking water wells in early 2006, however, are
not expected to affect iodine uptake.
The amount of TCE and NDMA found in these
drinking water wells is very small. It is considered to
be below levels of concern for long-term exposure.
Much higher doses of these chemicals have been
shown to cause liver problems and cancer in laboratory
animals. The very low levels in theses wells represent
only a very small risk. People concerned about
limiting or eliminating these very low exposures can
use bottled water, treat well water, or use some other
water source.
The Washington State Department of Health is
preparing a health consultation report that will further
discuss its findings about the TCE, perchlorate, and
NDMA in groundwater. The report will be available
later this summer.
Contacts:
For questions about TCE, perchlorate and NDMA and your health, please contact:
Mike LaScuola, Spokane Regional Health District
509-324-1574 or mlascuola@spokanecounty.org
Please contact Renee Dagseth if you have questions about this site or if you have information about the
possible sources of contamination.
Renee Dagseth, Community Involvement Coordinator
800-424-4372 or 206-553-1889 or dagseth.renee@epa.gov
If you have questions about whether your well has been tested or needs to be tested, contact:
Calvin Terada, On-Scene Coordinator
206-553-4141 or terada.calvin@epa.gov
To request a copy of the Washington State Department of Health's health consultation report that will be
available later this summer, contact:
Barbara Trejo
Toll Free 1-877-485-7316 or barbara.trejo@doh.wa.gov
Future Information
To receive future fact sheets via e-mail, please send your e-mail address to dagseth.renee @ epa. gov
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United States
Environmental Protection Agency
Region 10
Pre-Sorted Standard
Postage and Fees Paid
U.S. EPA
Permit No. G-35
Seattle, WA
Euclid Road Update
Spokane County, Washington
June 2006
Please contact Renee Dagseth if you need information in an alternative format.
TTY users, please call the Federal Relay Service at 800-877-8339.
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