U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)
Grove land Wells No. I & 2 Superfund Site
Groundwater Plume Continues to Shrink New
Contamination Extraction System Starts on Valley Property
United States
Environmental Protection
mm. Agency
EPA Community Involvement
Groundwater Extraction
& Treatment Progress
Since the US Environmental Protection
Agency (EPA) began groundwater
extraction and treatment in May of 2000,
there has been a continual decrease in
the levels and extent of contaminated
groundwater in both the overburden
(shallow) and bedrock (deep) aquifer.TCE
contaminated groundwater is extracted
through both shallow and deep wells then
pumped to the groundwater treatment
plant where theTCE is destroyed by
ultraviolet lamps.The clean water is
discharged back into the aquifer via Mill
Pond, As of September 30,2009, the
groundwater treatment plant has extracted
and treated over four million gallons
of contaminated groundwater and has
removed approximately 1, 130 pounds of
contamination. EPA will continue to fund,
operate and maintain the groundwater
treatment system until 2011 .Afterward,
the Massachusetts Department of
Environmental Protection (MassDEP) will
assume the responsibility for operating
the treatment plant until the remaining
risks from the contamination are within an
acceptable (protective) range.
Contamination Source Remains
In 1992, EPA issued Valley Manufacturing
Products Company (VMPC) a legal
order requiring them to design, build and
operate a soil vapor extraction system to
clean up soil contamination underneath
and next to the building.The soil vapor
extraction system operated from
December 1992 until April 2002 when
the company ceased all manufacturing
operations and abandoned the property.
Because the soil vapor extraction system
was minimally effective, amounts ofTCE
remain in higher than acceptable levels in
the soil at the southern end of the VMPC
building. As rainwater and groundwater
slowly move through contaminated
soil, they too become contaminated.
This contaminated water is captured by
January 2010
the groundwater extraction wells and
piped underground to the groundwater
plant for treatment Until the remaining
contaminated soil around and underneath
the VMPC building is addressed, it will
continue to be a contamination source.
What Neighbors Can Expect
EPA sub-contractor TerraTherm in early
March 2010 will install the Thermally
Enhanced Soil Vapor Extraction System.
This will involve drilling extraction wells,
running power cables to power the
electrodes to heat the contamination
source, erecting a fence around the
treatment area, and setting up air
monitoring stations. Work will occur
Mondays through Fridays between 7
am and 5 pm. Because of indoor mold
issues in the abandoned VMPC building,
workers will be wearing respirators and
white tyvek protective suits.The TCE
soil contamination alone would not
require the workers to wear protective
equipment. Once the Thermally Enhanced
Soil Vapor Extraction System is operating,
it will run continuously 24 hours a day,
seven days a week without any anticipated
unacceptable noises or odors.
continued >
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SDMS DocID 460389

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What is Soil Vapor
Extraction?
Soil Vapor Extraction or SVE
removes harmful chemicals, in
the form of vapors, from the soil.
Vapors are the gases that form when
chemicals evaporate and are known
asVoiatile Organic Compounds or
VOCs.TheVOCs are removed from
the ground by applying a vacuum to
pull the vapors out Extraction weils
are drilled into the soil and a vacuum
is attached to the wells and pulls the
contaminated air and vapors through
the soil and up to the surface where
they are collected and safely treated.
To speed up and enhance this
process, the contaminated soil may
be heated, which helps evaporate the
chemicals faster and more effectively.
This process is called Thermally
Enhanced Soil Vapor Extraction.
Reducing the
Contamination Source:
Thermally Enhanced Soil
Vapor Extraction System
In 2004 and 2006, EPA conducted
further investigations and pilot
tests to better define the extent
ofTCE soil contamination and the
best means to cleanup its source.
These efforts concluded that a soil
vapor extraction system enhanced
by using heat (Thermally Enhanced
Soil Vapor Extraction) operating
for approximately one year on the
VMPC property should reduce the
soil contamination to levels deemed
safe for human health and the
environment.This enhanced system,
by addressing the source of the
highest existing soil contamination,
will reduce soil contamination,
the groundwater contamination
plume, and ultimately how many
years the groundwater treatment
plant operates. During operations
the Thermally Enhanced Soil Vapor
Extraction System will be monitored
and modified to optimize its
performance. Air monitoring along
the perimeter of the work area will
ensure the vapors are being captured
and abutting residences are not
adversely impacted.
(above)
Arj example of a Thermally Enhanced Soil Vapor Extraction System from Endicott, NY.
Photo courtesy ofTerraTherm,
Site Background
The 850-acre Groveland Wells Nos.
I & 2 Superfund site is located off of
Washington Street in Groveland, MA.The
site includes the watershed and aquifer
which recharge Groveland's Town Well
No. 1. Groundwater in this area is mainly
contaminated with trichloroethylene
(TCE), a man-made chemical which was
used at the former Valley Manufacturing
Products Company (VMPC) to degrease
screws and metal parts. At least 3,000
gallons of waste oil and TCE were
released and other accidental spills
occurred as a result ofVMPC activities.
In 1979, the Town shut down two wells
with TCE contamination. A new well
drawing from a different aquifer was
developed. Of the original two wells,
EPA treated and reopened Well No. I
and permanently abandoned the other.
The Town of Groveland continues to
provide safe drinking water to residents
and confirms these safe levels are met
through quarterly sampling of the Town
wells and by testing groundwater quality
at upgradient monitoring wells. EPA's
groundwater and treatment facility began
operating in 2000.VMPC, in 2002, ceased
all manufacturing operations and vacated
the former Washington Street facility.
In 2007, EPA and VMPC reached a legal
setdement requiring VMPC to pay the
government 100% of the net sale or net
lease proceeds from the property and
to implement land use restrictions on
the property to prevent contamination
exposure until protective levels are
attained.
More information,
www.epa.gov/region I /superfund/
sites/groveland
Derrick Golden
US EPA Project Manager
(617) 918-1448
go Id en.d err ick@ epa.gov
Stacy Greendlinger
US EPA Community inolvement
(617) 918-1403
greendiinger.s tacy @ epa.gov
Janet Waldron
MassDEP
(617) SS6-1156
| anet. wa Id ron@state. m a. us
Heater Well
Extraction Well
Vapor Collection Pipe
rfflk	United States
Environmental Protection
^^^*1 # *Agency
January 2010

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