RAILROAD AVENUE
GROUND WATER
CONTAMINATION SITE
IOWA

EPA ID# IA00G1610963

EPA Region 7

City: West Des Moines
County: Polk
Other Names:

06/10/2008

SITE DESCRIPTION

The Railroad Avenue site consists of an area of ground water contamination which includes 22
municipal water supply wells that historically or currently supply water to the residents of West
Des Moines, Iowa, and the potential source areas of the contamination . West Des Moines, a
suburb of Des Moines, Iowa, is located in southwest Polk County in south-central Iowa. The site
occupies portions of Sections 10, 11, 14, 15, 16, 21, and 22, T78N, R25W.

Site Responsibility:

This site is being addressed through Federal, State
and PRP actions

NPL LISTING HISTORY

Proposed Date:

09/13/2001

Final Date:

09/05/2002

Deleted Date:



THREATS AND CONTAMINANTS

The ground water has been contaminated with trichloroethylene (TCE),
cis-l,2-dichloroethylene (cis-l,2-DCE), and vinyl chloride. Contamination in the


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ground water has been detected in several of the municipal water supply wells, and
5 of these were historically taken off-line, but have since been returned to service
subsequent to interim response action.

CLEANUP APPROACH

Response Action Status

Cleanup Ongoing: A Site Investigation and Expanded Site Investigation were
completed for the site. As a result, the site was divided into two operable units.
OU1 covers the northern of the two separate plumes of ground water
contamination at the site. This OU is being remediated as a fund-lead project,
because no PRP's were identified for the contamination. A Record of Decision was
completed for the western portion of the plume on September 26, 2003, and a
Record of Decision was completed for the eastern portion of the plume on
September 19, 2005. OU2 was established for the southern plume, which has a
PRP. A consent order was signed with this PRP to conduct further investigations
and removal actions for the southern plume. The remedial investigation for OU 1
was completed in March 2004. The removal action at OU2 constructed new
aerators at the water plant to provide treatment for the contaminants in the plume
before use of the water for drinking water supply. The same action provides
treatment for the contaminants in the western portion of the northern plume. The
initial RA on OU1, incorporating air stripping via the aerators at the water plant,
was completed on September 12, 2007. Ground water in both plumes is extracted
using existing municipal water supply wells. An Action Memorandum for the
removal was signed on September 26, 2003, and the removal has been completed.
A second removal action for the southern plume, prompting installation and
operation of sparging wells in the most contaminated portion of the plume, was
approved on April 19, 2005, by an Action Memorandum. A Record of Decision
was completed on September 11, 2006, for OU2 and calls for continued operation
of the sparge wells and monitored natural attenuation. The ground water
associated with OU2 continues to be monitored and shows a trend of decreasing
contamination. The site achieved NPL Construction Complete, and ground water
migration was considered under control as of the end of FY 2007. For OU1, the
second RA for monitored natural attenuation, started on November 15, 2006. This
second OU1 RA is scheduled to be completed by September 2008. The PRP
started their RD on OU2 on July 12, 2007. It is scheduled for completion on June
30, 2008. The Consent Decree on OU2 was entered on October 15, 2007.


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Site Facts:

ENVIRONMENTAL PROGRESS

Remedial Investigations have been completed for both plumes. Construction of new
aerators has been completed and they are currently operating successfully for the southern plume
and the western portion of the northern plume. A sparging well system was installed to
remediate the southern plume in addition to monitored attenuation. The eastern portion of the
northern plume is being remediated by monitored natural attenuation.

COMMUNITY INVOLVEMENT	

11/99 - Fact Sheet updating information on investigation of soil and ground water contamination.
6/00 - Fact Sheet explaining continuation of evaluation of information received during sampling.
10/00 - Fact Sheet announcing Public Availability session. Meeting held 10/24/00. Display Ad
in the Des Moines Register.

10/01 - Fact Sheet announces Proposal to List site on the NPL and comment period. Display ad
in the Des Moines Register. Press Release sent to media outlets.

7/02 - Community notified of Technical Assistance Grant through direct mailing, display ad
published in Des Moines Register

9/02 - Press Release announcing Final Listing of the site to the NPL sent to media outlets.
2/03 - Conducted community interviews to use in creating the Community Involvement Plan,
final dated 5/29/03.

8/03 - Fact Sheet announcing Proposed Plan for Interim Remedial Action and public meeting to

take public comments. Display Ad in the Des Moines Register.

9/03 - Fact Sheet sent out re: Useful Property Information.

10/03 - Fact Sheet announcing ROD for Interim Remedial Action.

6/05 - Fact Sheet announcing Proposed Plan and Public Meeting to take public comment.

Display Ad in the Des Moines Register.

9/05 - Fact Sheet announcing ROD for Northern Plume. Display Ad announcing ROD.
7/06 - Fact Sheet announcing Proposed Plan and Public Meeting to take public comment for


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ROD for Southern Plume. Display Ad in the Des Moines Register.

10/06- Fact Sheet announcing ROD for Southern Plume. Display Ad announcing ROD.


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SITE REPOSITORY

West Des Moines Public Library
4000 George M. Mills Civic Parkway
West Des Moines, Iowa

Superfund Records Center
901 N. 5th St.

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:

Bill Gresham
gresham.bill@epa.gov
(913)551-7804

Beckie Himes

(913)551-7253
himes.beckie@epa.gov

Bob Drustrup, IDNR
(515)281-8900

MISCELLANEOUS INFORMATION

STATE:	IA

CONGRESSIONAL DISTRICT:	3

EPA ORGANIZATION:	SFD-IANE

MODIFICATIONS

Created by:	Bill	Created Date:	06/13/2002 03:57 PM

Gresham/SUPR/R7/USEPA/

US

Last Modified by: Beckie	Last Modified Date: 06/10/2008 03:03 PM

Himes/R7/USEPA/US


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