United States
Environmental Protection
Agency
National Priorities List (NPL)
**
*Final Site
***
OSWER/OSRTI
Washington, DC 20460
March 2015
KOKOMO CONTAMINATED
GROUND WATER PLUME
Kokomo, Indiana
Howard County
(?) Site Location:
The Kokomo Contaminated Ground Water Plume site is a contaminated ground water plume with no identified source
located in the city of Kokomo, Howard County, Indiana. The ground water plume is approximately 294 acres and
encompasses several municipal wells in the city.
Site History:	
Site investigations in 2007 confirmed levels of vinyl chloride at levels exceeding the EPA maximum contaminant
level (MCL) in raw water at four (4) municipal wells. The Indiana Department of Environmental Management (IDEM) has
identified fourteen handlers of chlorinated solvents in the area that could be contributing to the contaminated ground water
plume. Despite several investigations in the area, the exact origin of the contaminants is unknown.
I Site Contamination/Contaminants:
The plume consists of chlorinated solvents, specifically, vinyl chloride.
rtft Potential Impacts on Surrounding Community/Environment:	
Area residents are supplied by municipal water supply distribution systems and use municipal water as their drinking water
source. The affected wellfield provides water to approximately 55,000 residents in Kokomo. There are known
contaminated residential wells which are believed to be used for non-potable purposes.
^ Response Activities (to date):
IDEM has identified fourteen facilities that handle chlorinated solvents and could be sources to the contamination plume.
Some of these potential sources are currently being managed under other authorities but there is no cleanup approach
focusing on the ground water plume. Water from several well fields in Kokomo are blended and treated prior to
distribution. A water treatment system has been successfully removing the vinyl chloride from the finished drinking water,
but this is not a permanent solution to address the contaminated ground water plume.
B Need for NPL Listing:	
The state of Indiana referred the site to the EPA because the site requires a long term response action. Listing on the NPL
will allow for a comprehensive investigation of the nature and extent of contamination. Other federal and state cleanup
programs were evaluated but are not viable at this time. The city's mayor has expressed support for listing, and the
EPA received a letter of support from the state.
[The description of the site (release) is based on information available at the time the site was evaluated with the HRS. The description may change
as additional information is gathered on the sources and extent of contamination. See 56 FR 5600, February 11, 1991, or subsequent FR notices.]
F or more information about the hazardous substances identified in this narrative summary, including general information regarding the effects of exposure to these
substances on human health, please see the Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry (ATSDR) ToxFAQs. ATSDR ToxFAQs can be found on the Internet
at http://www.atsdr.cdc.gov/toxfaas/index.asp or bv telephone at 1-888-42-ATSDR or 1-888-422-8737.

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