Rockaway Borough Well Field Rockaway Borough, New Jersey Site Description Rockaway Borough is located in central Morris County, New Jersey. The Borough is approximately 2.1 square miles in size and is located 10 miles north of Morristown and 25 miles northwest of Newark. Rockaway Borough is bordered to the north and west by Rockaway Township and to the east and south by Denville. Land use in the Borough is a mix of commercial, industrial and residential. The Rockaway Borough Well Field Superfund site includes three municipal water supply wells (Nos. 1, 5 and 6), which are located in the eastern section of the Borough. The Rockaway River is located approximately 750 feet south of the center of the wellfield. The municipal wells range in depth from 54 to 84 feet below ground surface and are located in a glacial aquifer. The EPA designated the aquifer a sole source aquifer for the Borough and surrounding communities. The wells supply potable water to approximately 11,000 people. Current Site Status and Cleanup Actions to Date • In 1981, a granular carbon treatment system was installed by the Borough after contamination was discovered in the municipal water supply system. The principal contaminants found in the glacial aquifer include volatile organic compounds (VOCs), primarily tetrachloroethylene (PCE) and trichloroethylene (TCE). In 1993, an air stripping system was added in advance of the carbon treatment system to improve the treatment of the contaminated groundwater and reduce operating costs. • Investigations have identified a primary source area that has contributed to the PCE contamination of the groundwater. This source area will be remediated as part of a separate remedial action. This will assist the groundwater treatment system in the ultimate goal of groundwater restoration. • In 1991, EPA completed a supplemental Remedial Investigation/Feasibility Study (RI/FS) that was required by the 1986 Record of Decision (ROD). This supplemental RI/FS further delineated the extent of groundwater contamination, identified two separate plumes: the "Klockner and Klockner (K&K)" and "Wall Street/East Main Street (WS/EM)" plumes, and evaluated additional alternatives for final groundwater cleanup. The results of this RI/FS led to the signing of a second ROD on September 30, 1991. • EPA has a Consent Decree with Alliant Techsystems (ATK) to conduct the Remedial Design (RD) for the entire Rockaway Borough Well Field Site, and the Remedial Action for the K&K portion of the Site. ATK had no responsibility for the contamination at the WS/EM portion of the Site, but agreed to design the remedy for both groundwater plumes to ensure that the remedial systems would be compatible in the overall groundwater regime. • ATK is nearing completion of the construction of its groundwater remediation system. Key Accomplishments • In 1991, EPA completed a supplemental Remedial Investigation/ Feasibility Study (RI/FS) that was required by the 1986 Record of Decision (ROD). • EPA has a Consent Decree with Alliant Techsystems (ATK) to conduct the Remedial Design (RD) for the entire Rockaway Borough Wellfield site, and the Remedial Action for the Klockner & Klockner (K&K) portion of the site. • EPA entered into an Administrative Order on Consent with Klockner & Klockner Partnership whereby they agreed to perform a RI/FS to determine the nature and extent of potential sources of groundwater contamination. The Klockner & Klockner Partnership will also be required to conduct any Remedial Action ------- • EPA also entered into an Administrative Order on Consent with Klockner & Klockner Partnership whereby they agreed to perform a RI/FS to determine the nature and extent of potential sources of groundwater contamination. The Klockner & Klockner Partnership will also be required to conduct any Remedial Action deemed necessary by EPA. • EPA will complete the design of the WS/EM groundwater extraction and treatment building in December 2005 and construction is expected to start early 2006. • EPA is performing an RI/FS for the WS/EM groundwater source area. • EPA is presently overseeing a Potentially Responsible Party (PRP) lead Remedial Action to address groundwater contamination. The remedial action will consist of groundwater extraction with air stripping and discharge to surface water. • EPA is presently overseeing a PRP lead RI/FS that will characterize the nature and extent of the contamination related to the PRP groundwater contamination mentioned above. • EPA is presently conducting a RI/FS that will characterize the nature and extent of the contamination related to groundwater contamination that will also be addressed by EPA. • EPA is presently beginning a Remedial Action that will address groundwater contamination caused by the source area contamination mentioned above. The remedial action will consist of groundwater extraction with air stripping and discharge to surface water. Current Funding Status • EPA has spent approximately $2 million as part of the investigations for the Site. • EPA funded $3 million for the construction of the groundwater extraction and treatment system in fiscal year 2005. deemed necessary by EPA. For more information on the projects at this site, please read the Rockawav Borough Well Field fact sheet on the Region 2 Superfund Web site. ------- |