10TH STREET SITE
NEBRASKA
EPA ID# NED981713837
EPA Region 7
City: Columbus
County: Platte County
Other Names: Columbus Public Water
Supply
08/02/2007
SITE DESCRIPTION
The 10th Street Site is located in the south-central portion of the City of Columbus. Sampling by
EPA and the state revealed the presence of volatile organic compounds (VOCs) in the municipal
drinking water supply wells. Sampling of the ground water in areas surrounding the municipal
well fields show VOCs in the aquifer underlying commercial and residential areas of the city as a
result of dry cleaner activities. The city's water distribution system provides drinking water to
approximately 20,000 people. The water supply is tested by the state and consistently meets the
Safe Drinking Water Act (SDWA) limits for public water supplies.
Site Responsibility:
This site is being addressed through Federal
actions.
NPL LISTING HISTORY
Proposed Date:
10/26/89
Final Date:
08/30/90
Deleted Date:

THREATS AND CONTAMINANTS
The ground water contaminant plum located upgradient of the municipal wells is
contaminated with the VOCs tetrachloroethylene (PCE) and trichloroethylene
(TCE). PCE and TCE are found in the soils at some locations and volatilize to

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form vapors which can be trapped in soils and underground structures. People
could be exposed to these contaminants through the use of water from
contaminated wells and breathing air in confined spaces. At this time, the use of
water from private wells should be discouraged. Air sampling that has been
conducted recently does not indicate an exposure problem.
CLEANUP APPROACH
Response Action Status
Entire Site: EPA completed a Record of Decision (ROD) document in 1995 that selected
institutional controls and ground water monitoring with a contingency as the remedy for the site.
The city finalized an ordinance with the goal of eliminating the use of private wells in the area of
ground water contamination in October 2003. The ground water monitoring conducted pursuant
to the 1995 ROD determined that additional investigation was required to delineate an additional
source of contamination. Current efforts are directed toward addressing the ground water
contamination and protecting the city's south wellfield. In order to address this contamination,
EPA implemented a removal action in January 2000, and finalized an interim action ROD in
September 2001. The air sparging/soil vapor extraction (AS/SVE) system which was
constructed as part of the removal action is still in operation. The remedy required by the
interim action ROD included a ground water extraction and treatment (GET) system.
Construction of the GET system was completed in February 2004 and began operation in April
2004 with discharge of the treated water to the storm sewer. In May 2005, the GET system
began providing treated water to the city's municipal water supply system. In the summer of
2005, extraction of the GET system was modified by the addition of a fourth extraction well. In
September 2005, the EPA issued a final ROD that included continued operation of the AS/SVE
and GET systems, limited action for the soils in two of the source areas, and chemical oxidation
in the ground water contaminant plume.
The design of the chemical oxidation remedy was completed in September 2006. EPA awarded
a contract for implementation of the chemical oxidation remedy. The first round of chemical
oxidation injections was completed in April 2007. A second round is planned for August 2007.
Site Facts:

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ENVIRONMENTAL PROGRESS	
After adding this site to the NPL, EPA performed preliminary investigations and
determined that no immediate actions were required at the 10th Street Site while cleanup
remedial investigation was being performed.
EPA completed its fourth round of ground water sampling required by the 1995 ROD in April
1998, which indicated an additional source of contamination located about 1/2 mile upgradient
from the initial site. The results of this sampling effort have been provided to the Nebraska
Department of Health, the Nebraska Department of Environmental Quality and the city of
Columbus, Nebraska.
EPA conducted a removal action at the primary contamination source area. The removal action
consists of an air sparging/soil vapor extraction (AS/SVE) system which was installed in
October 2000, to address soil and ground water contamination. In addition, the city has taken
one city supply well out of service and continues to blend water from the other south wellfield
wells to assure that the finished water provided to the public is below the MCLs. EPA designed
and constructed a ground water extraction and treatment (GET) system pursuant to an interim
remedial action ROD issued in September 2001. In addition to intercepting the ground water
contamination, the GET utilizes the city well taken out of service as an extraction well and
provides treated water to the city's water supply system. The GET system has been in operation
since April 2004. In September 2005, EPA issued a final ROD that includes continued operation
of the GET and AS/SVE systems, limited action for the soils in two of the source areas, and
chemical oxidation in the contaminant plume. The first round of chemical oxidation injections
was completed in April 2007. The second round of injections is scheduled to began in August
2007.
In September 2005, EPA completed the second Five-Year Review for the site. Based on an
evaluation of available information, EPA believes the cleanup actions conducted at the site
continue to be protective of human health and the environment.

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COMMUNITY INVOLVEMENT	
A public availability session was held in August 2003 prior to the commencement of
construction of the interim Remedial Action. EPA issued a Fact Sheet in March 2004 in regard
to an investigation of a former manufactured gasification plant (fmgp) site. The March 2004
Fact Sheet included an update of activities at the 10th Street Site. The October 2004 Fact Sheet
announced that EPA would sample Indoor Air. The July 2005 Fact Sheet announced the
Proposed Plan and Public Meeting for OU2. A display ad ran in the Columbus Telegram
announcing the Public Meeting. The Public Meeting was held 7/20/05, in order to take
comments on the Proposed Plan. The ROD was signed 9/29/05. A September 2005 Fact Sheet
Announced the Record of Decision Issued and also announced the Completion of the second
5-year review. Ads ran in the Columbus Telegram announcing the 5-year review completion and
the ROD being issued. A treatability study was conducted as part of the remedial design. EPA
issued a Fact Sheet in February 2006 that announced that the treatability study would begin. In
January 2007, EPA issued a Fact Sheet announcing that the first round of chemical oxidation
injections would begin. In August 2007, EPA issued a Fact Sheet announcing the second round
of chemical oxidation injections would begin.

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SITE REPOSITORY
Columbus Public Library	Superfund Records Center
2504 Fourteenth Street	901 N. 5th St.
Columbus, NE	Kansas City, KS 66101
Mail Stop SUPR
(913)551-7166
REGIONAL CONTACTS
SITE MANAGER:
E-MAIL ADDRESS:
PHONE NUMBER:
COMMUNITY INVOLVEMENT
COORDINATOR:
PHONE NUMBER:
E-MAIL ADDRESS:
STATE CONTACT:
PHONE NUMBER:
Nancy Swyers
swyers.nancy@epa.gov
(913)551-7703
Beckie Himes
(913)551-7253
himes.beckie@epa.gov
Charlene Sundermann
(402) 471-6411
MISCELLANEOUS INFORMATION
STATE:
CONGRESSIONAL DISTRICT:
EPA ORGANIZATION:
NE
07CS
03
SFD-EPA - REGION 7
MODIFICATIONS
Created by:	Suping	Created Date:	05/28/98 03:45 PM
Chang/ SUPR/R7/U SEPA/U
S
Last Modified by: Beckie	Last Modified Date: 08/02/2007 09:31 AM
Himes/R7/USEPA/US

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