NORTH-U DRIVE WELL CONTAMINATION MISSOURI EPA ID# MOD007163108 EPA Region 7 City: North of Springfield County: Greene County Other Names: 05/31/2007 SITE DESCRIPTION In 1983, the residents near the North-U Drive Well Contamination site became concerned over the taste of their drinking water. When the State investigated, it discovered that seven private wells at five locations were contaminated with volatile organic compounds (VOCs). The source of the contamination was unknown when the contamination was discovered. There is no defined site boundary. This site is in a rural residential area just north of Springfield with approximately 300 people living within a 1/4 mile radius. The contaminated wells are located 1,500 feet west of Fulbright Spring, an alternate source of municipal drinking water for the City of Springfield, which has a population of 133,000. Site Responsibility: NPL LISTING HISTORY This site was addressed through Federal and State actions. Proposed Date: 10/15/84 Final Date: 06/10/86 Deleted Date: 09/08/94 THREATS AND CONTAMINANTS Soil and ground water in the private wells were found to be contaminated with VOCs including toluene and benzene. The majority of the private wells have been plugged and do not pose any human exposure. However, a few owners have ------- / refused to have their wells plugged and were using contaminated ground water for drinking. Subsequently, public drinking water has been available to more of the area residents. However, having discovered that the contamination is related to petroleum products, the EPA does not have authority under Superfund to address such releases. Metals were found in some nearby private wells; however, there are no known nearby sources of metal contamination. The metals found in ground water may be a natural phenomenon resulting from metals in local soils or bedrock or could be attributed to plumbing. Because the bedrock is fractured, it may allow contaminants to migrate from the immediate area in directions and at speeds which would not otherwise be expected. CLEANUP APPROACH Response Action Status Initial Actions: In 1985, under a Removal Action, the EPA extended the Springfield public water supply lines to North-U Drive. In addition, 67 private wells were plugged permanently to prevent their use and to prevent the well casings from serving as conduits of deep aquifer contamination. Site Studies: The Missouri Department of Natural Resources conducted a remedial investigation (RI) into the nature and extent of site contamination. Data from this investigation was used by the EPA to determine that the releases were from petroleum products. In early 1993, a remedy was selected in which the EPA determined that it could not undertake additional response actions to address the organic contaminants in the ground water because the Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act "Petroleum Exclusion" precludes Superfund response actions for the release of petroleum products. The site has been deleted from the NPL. Site Facts: ------- ENVIRONMENTAL PROGRESS Extending public water lines and plugging 67 private wells to prevent further use has elimated the potential of exposure to hazardous substances in the drinking water of those homes and will continue to protect households around the North-U Drive Well Contamination Site. COMMUNITY INVOLVEMENT MDNR mailed a letter to all the residents on the site mailing list in November 1990 to notifiy them about the availability of the site information repository at the Kearney Branch Library in Springfield, Missouri. On October 2, 1991, MDNR hosted a public availability session at Hillcrest High School to update local residents about the planned remedial investigation. MDNR released a fact sheet and placed an advertisement in the local newspaper to invite the local community to the October 1991 meeting. On March 9, 1993, MDNR hosted a public hearing at Northview Multi-Purpose Center in Springfield to invite public comment on the Proposed Plan for the site. In February 1993, MDNR released a fact sheet and placed an advertisement in the local newspaper to invite the local community to the March 9, 1993, public hearing. A notice of intent to delete this site from the National Priorities List appeared in the Federal Register, Vol. 59, No. 173, dated September 8, 1994. ------- SITE REPOSITORY Kearney Branch Library Superfund Records Center 630 W. Kearney 901 N. 5th St. Springfield, MO 65801 Kansas City, KS 66101 Mail Stop SUPR (913)551-7166 REGIONAL CONTACTS SITE MANAGER: E-MAIL ADDRESS: PHONE NUMBER: Tonya Howell howell.tonya@epa.gov (913)551-7589 COMMUNITY INVOLVEMENT Dianna Whitaker COORDINATOR: PHONENUMBER: (913) 551-7598 E-MAIL ADDRESS: whitaker.dianna@epa.gov STATE CONTACT: PHONE NUMBER: MISCELLANEOUS INFORMATION STATE: MO 074R CONGRESSIONAL DISTRICT: 07 EPA ORGANIZATION: SFD-SUPR/MOKS MODIFICATIONS Created by: Karla Created Date: 11/13/97 03:50 PM Asb erry/SUPRFUND/R7/U S EPA/US Last Modified by: Dianna Last Modified Date: 05/31/2007 12:53 PM Whitaker/OEP/R7/U SEP A/ US ------- |