EPA Explores Alternative
Environmental Protectior
Aťa ť	Water Source
Wedron Groundwater Contamination Site
Wedron. Illinois	June 2013
For more information
For questions, comments or for
more information about the Wedron
groundwater investigation, you can
contact these team members:
For technical questions:
Steven J. Faryan
EPA On-Scene Coordinator
Superfund Division
77 W. Jackson Blvd.
Chicago, IL 60604
312-353-9351
F arvan. ste ven@epa. gov
For general questions:
Heriberto Leon
EPA Community Involvement
Coordinator
Superfund Division
77 W Jackson Blvd.
Chicago, IL 60604
312-886-6163
Leon.henberto@epa.gov
EPA toll-free:
800-621-8431, 8:30 a.m. - 4:30
p.m., weekdays
Website:
www.epa.gov/region5/cleaiiup/wedr
on/index.html
Illinois EPA contact:
Stan Black
Office of Community Relations
217-785-1427
stan.black@illinois.gov
1021 N. Grand Ave. E.
P.O Box 19276
Springfield, IL 62794-9276
Engineers from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency have been
working at Wilbur Thompson Park to evaluate the installation of wells that
could provide an alternative source to Wedron residents with contaminated
drinking water. In April, Wedron Silica Co. gave U.S. EPA permission to
access the park for engineering studies. Wed ion Silica also offered to give
financial support related to setting up an owners association with
appropriate legal agreements for homeowners to maintain and operate the
wells.
Wedron has a history of contaminated drinking water dating back 30
years. In the latest round of investigation and cleanup work, U.S. EPA
sampled more than 50 private wells in Wedron. Eight private wells are
affected by the contamination. Seven homes were found to exceed the
safety limits for benzene in drinking water and two homes are close to the
limit. U.S. EPA is providing bottled water for these nine homes and has
installed temporary whole-house water treatment units. The private wells
tap into a ground water plume that looks to be polluted by petroleum
products from several potential sources. "Ground water" is an
environmental term for an underground source of fresh water. A plume is a
mass of contaminated ground water. The plume is moving, so U.S. EPA
experts expect other wells besides the nine already identified could
eventually be affected by the pollution and need a permanent alternative
water source.
Under the authority of federal law,1 U.S. EPA is spending around
$500,000 in taxpayer funds to protect residents in the nine target homes
from exposure to contaminated water. Some of the money has also been
used to investigate pollution threats to the rest of the town and look for
sources of the contamination.
Water flows from a
test well in
Thompson Park in
Wedron. U.S. EPA
engineers are
evaluating installing
wells that could
provide an
alternative drinking
water source to
Wedron residents
with contaminated
wells.
1 EPA undertakes emergency environmental actions under the authority' of Section
104(a)(1) of the Comprehensive Environmental Response Compensation and Liability Act
(CERCLA commonly known as the Superfmid law), 42 U.S. Code, and Section 300.415 of
the National Oil and Hazardous Substances Pollution Contingency Plan. For more
technical information read the documents posted on the Wedron website
www. eva.sov/rezionS/cleamip/wedron/index.html including the Nov. 16, 2012, Action
Memorandum, which authorizes funds to help Wedron residents.

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Spring developments
Recently a leaking underground storage tank was
uncovered on railroad property and was removed under
the supervision of the U.S. EPA and the Illinois State
Fire Marshal. U.S. EPA and Illinois EPA will oversee
investigation and excavation work to remove
contaminated soil where the tank was located.
Also this spring, U.S. EPA and Wedron Silica
conducted geophysical studies to identify potable water
in the aquifers below Wedron. The studies helped
determine the depth of the layers of bedrock called an
aquitard that lies between the two aquifers in Wedron.
An aquifer is a layer of water-bearing rock, sand or
gravel through which ground water flows, containing
enough water to supply wells and springs. U.S. EPA
will use information from the studies to evaluate two
options for providing a drinking water source to the
Wedron residents who currently have contaminated
wells. The studies will show if the first option to install
new semi-private deep wells in the Wilbur Thompson
Park is safe. If the aquifers turn out to be safe, U.S.
EPA officials expect that implementing the park option
will take 120 days after legal agreements are in place.
The studies will also show if a second option to replace
individual private wells into the deeper aquifer is a safe
option for the residents who currently have
contaminated wells.
Workers remove a 1eakv underground storage tank from Illinois
Railway property in Wedron. U.S. EPA engineers are looking
at several possible sources of well water contamination in the
town.
Other investigations
As part of its Wedron work, U.S. EPA completed the
sampling for vapor intrusion of soil gas outside local
homes. Vapor intrusion occurs when chemicals in the
underground water give off dangerous gases that can
rise up through the soil and seep into buildings through
foundation cracks and holes, causing unsafe indoor air
pollution. If high levels of soil gas are found in the
latest sampling, U.S. EPA will check for vapor
intrusion problems under basement concrete slabs, in
crawl spaces and inside homes.
In April, U.S. EPA employees and an Agency
contractor met with dozens of residents and other
interested parties around Wedron to listen to their
concerns about health risks, the environment and other
issues. The interviews will help U.S. EPA develop a
community involvement plan that will outline
residents' preferred method of communication with the
federal Agency. U.S. EPA officials heard residents
voice concerns about their water but also other
environmental issues.
During the week of May 20, Illinois EPA performed an
underground investigation of the former Hoxsey gas
station. Illinois EPA collected 20 soil samples and six
ground water samples. The state environmental agency
is currently awaiting laboratory results on the samples.
In June, U.S. EPA will work with the LaSalle County
Highway Department to investigate whether an
underground storage tank is under the county highway
near the Hoxsey property by using ground-penetrating
radar.
Next steps
U.S. EPA and Illinois EPA have identified several
possible sources of the contamination, but the agencies
believe there may be more. Current and former owners
and operators of Wedron businesses may be
responsible, including gas stations, fueling operations,
farm supply businesses, laboratories, sand mining
operations and railroads. The current and previous
owners of the sand mining operations have agreed to
work with U.S. EPA to investigate company property
this summer. The federal Agency will oversee the
investigation under a pending legal document.
Environmental regulators are working to reach
agreement for other parties to conduct additional
investigation on railroad property. These investigations
are needed to make sure all possible sources of
contamination are found.
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