Crown Cleaners of Watertown, Inc.
Carthage, N.Y.	
Description
The 10-acre Crown Cleaners of Watertown, Inc. site is located in Carthage, N.Y. EPA added the site to the
National Priorities List in 2002. Crown Cleaners operated as a laundry and dry cleaning business starting in
the late 1970s.The cleaning machines produced large amounts of wastewater with toxic chemicals, which
leaked out of the building's basement storage tanks, eventually soaking into the soil. The groundwater and
soil directly beneath the site are now contaminated. The contaminated groundwater is migrating beyond the
property to the Black River.
Current Site Status and Cleanup Actions to Date
•	Several New York State investigations were conducted at the site during the 1990s, which resulted in
the site being referred to EPA for further evaluation in 2000.
•	In 2000, EPA conducted a removal action which included securing the site; removal and disposal of
volatile organic-contaminated sludge/debris, sump pit water and soils/spent dry cleaning filters;
removal of friable asbestos-containing materials; removal and demolition of an unstable portion of the
facility building; and disposal of approximately 5,000 gallons of waste oil.
•	EPA conducted field investigations at the site from 2004 through 2011, which culminated in the
completion of a remedial investigation and feasibility study report in December 2011. The results of the
remedial investigation identified areas of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon (PAH) - and arsenic-
contaminated soil, five tetrachloroethylene (PCE) source areas and an approximately 350-foot long by
300-foot wide and 145-foot deep groundwater PCE plume.
•	In March 2012, EPA selected a remedy for the site, which includes building decontamination and
demolition; excavation of soil contaminated with PAHs, arsenic and PCE; chemical oxidation of
contaminated groundwater hot spots; and monitored natural attenuation (MNA) of the contaminated
groundwater outside of the hot spot areas.
•	The building decontamination/demolition and MNA designs were completed in September 2012 and
the soil design was completed in September 2013. It is anticipated that the groundwater design will be
completed in June 2014.
•	EPA has determined that all unacceptable human exposure pathways have been eliminated. Under
current conditions, human exposure is under control site-wide.
Unfunded Action
Fiscal Year 2013 work that was not funded involved building demolition and soil excavation.
Current Funding Status
To date, EPA has spent nearly $3 million on construction work at the site.
For more information on this site, please read the Crown Cleaners site information on the Region
2 Superfund web site.

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