Superfund: Spencer, Indiana

Analies Dyjak | Policy Nerd   

This week, Hydroviv is highlighting the six new National Priorities List (NPL) sites under the EPA Superfund program. Superfund sites are home to high levels of hazardous soil and groundwater contamination from years of improper disposal techniques. If you’d like to learn more about the ins and out of Superfund, check out our recap HERE. The next Superfund site that we’ll be discussing is located in Spencer, Indiana. 

Spencer, Indiana is home to another newly designated Superfund site. The municipal well field is a contaminated chlorinated solvent plume, with levels exceeding federal standards for Tetrachloroethylene or PCE. In a 2012 carcinogenicity assessment, EPA set a Maximum Contaminant Level (MCL) of 5 parts per billion for drinking water. Long term exposure of PCE can cause adverse effects to the liver, kidneys and central nervous system. The Indiana Department of Environmental Management has yet to identify a responsible party for the contamination, but they have recognized 9 active and closed facilities that could be major contributors.

If you live near a Superfund site and are concerned about your water, drop us an email at hello@hydroviv.com or visit hydroviv.com and use our live chat feature. Hydroviv is staffed with scientists and policy experts that can help you make sense of your water and find an effective filter, even if it isn’t one we sell.

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Superfund: Spring Park, Minnesota

Analies Dyjak | Policy Nerd

This week, Hydroviv is highlighting the six new National Priorities List (NPL) sites under the EPA Superfund program. Superfund sites are home to high levels of hazardous soil and groundwater contamination from years of improper disposal techniques. If you’d like to learn more about the ins and out of Superfund, check out our recap HERE. The next Superfund site that we’ll be discussing is located in Spring Park, Minnesota. 

Spring Park, Minnesota is home to one of the six newly designated Superfund sites. The town’s municipal well field is contaminated with several industrial solvents such as trichloroethylene (TCE), 1,2-dichloroethylene (DCE) and vinyl chloride. There are 1,673 residents in Spring Park, all of which are serviced by the same municipal well field. Two of the three municipal wells currently exceed Maximum Contaminant Levels for TCE. EPA has stated that the source of the contamination is unknown, but all contaminants are frequently used as industrial solvents.

If you live near a Superfund site and are concerned about your water, drop us an email at hello@hydroviv.com or visit hydroviv.com and use our live chat feature. Hydroviv is staffed with scientists and policy experts that can help you make sense of your water and find an effective filter, even if it isn’t one we sell.

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Superfund: San Antonio, Texas

Analies Dyjak | Policy Nerd   

This week, Hydroviv is highlighting the six new National Priorities List (NPL) sites under the EPA Superfund program. Superfund sites are home to high levels of hazardous soil and groundwater contamination from years of improper disposal techniques. If you’d like to learn more about the ins and out of Superfund, check out our recap HERE. The Superfund site that we’re addressing in this article is located in San Antonio, Texas.  

San Antonio, Texas is home to another newly designated EPA Superfund site. EPA detected high levels of cyanide, lead, cadmium, copper, selenium, zinc, chromium, and chromium 6. The source of contamination is from the River City Metal Finishing facility, which was in operation from 1994 to 2002. Throughout operation and post closure, runoff and pollution from this facility entered into the Edwards Aquifer which provides domestic, industrial and agricultural water for a majority of San Antonio. Concentrations of chromium 6 exceeded federal maximum contaminant levels in shallow groundwater wells in the Edwards Aquifer. There are several adverse health effects associated with chromium 6 exposure. Aside from being a known human carcinogen, ingestion of chromium 6 can cause respiratory irritation, pulmonary congestion and edema, and damages to the kidney, liver, and skin. There are currently 20 public water supplies with a 4 mile radius of the San Antonio Superfund site.

If you live near an EPA Superfund site and are concerned about your water, drop us an email at hello@hydroviv.com or visit hydroviv.com and use our live chat feature. Hydroviv is staffed with scientists and policy experts that can help you make sense of your water and find an effective filter, even if it isn’t one we sell. Be sure to follow along this week as we discuss all of the newly designated Superfund sites!

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Superfund: Cheraw, South Carolina

Ernesto Esquivel-Amores | Water Nerd

This week, Hydroviv is highlighting the six new National Priorities List (NPL) sites under the EPA Superfund program. Superfund sites are home to high levels of hazardous soil and groundwater contamination from years of improper disposal techniques. If you’d like to learn more about the ins and out of Superfund, check out our recap HERE. The next Superfund site that we’ll be discussing is located in Cheraw, South Carolina. 

Cheraw, South Carolina is home to another newly designated national Superfund site. This small town is home to roughly 6,000 people. EPA detected high levels of Polychlorinated Biphenyls, or PCBs in the sediment in residential neighborhoods and in nearby water streams. The source of this contamination is linked to a nearby textile mill. The water in Cheraw became contaminated because the facility created a drainage ditch was used to dispose of wastewater. Contaminated water from the drainage ditch infiltrated into groundwater, and was also transported onto residential lawns through stormwater runoff. Runoff also transported chemicals into surrounding wetlands and into the Grand Pee Dee River, the Wilson Branch Stream, and the Huckleberry Branch Stream. As a result, the state has issued a fish consumption advisory for all fish caught in the Grand Pee Dee River due to the high levels of Polychlorinated Biphenyls (PCBs). PCB is a carcinogen and can adversely affect pregnant women, children, and other sensitive populations. For more information about PCBs please check out our site at hydroviv.com. If you live near a national Superfund site and are concerned about your water, drop us an email at hello@hydroviv.com or visit hydroviv.com and use our live chat feature. Hydroviv is staffed with scientists and policy experts that can help you make sense of your water and find an effective filter, even if it isn’t one we sell.

If you live near a Superfund site and are concerned about your water, drop us an email at hello@hydroviv.com or visit hydroviv.com and use our live chat feature. Hydroviv is staffed with scientists and policy experts that can help you make sense of your water and find an effective filter, even if it isn’t one we sell. Be sure to follow along this week as we discuss all of the newly designated Superfund sites!

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Superfund Site: Hockessin, Delaware

Analies Dyjak | Policy Nerd   

This week, Hydroviv is highlighting the six new National Priorities List (NPL) sites under the EPA Superfund program. Superfund sites are home to high levels of hazardous soil and groundwater contamination from years of improper disposal techniques. If you’d like to learn more about the ins and outs of Superfund, check out our recap HERE. The first Superfund site that we’ll be discussing is located in Hockessin, Delaware.

Hockessin, Delaware is home to one of the six newly designated Superfund NPL sites. EPA detected high levels of Tetrachloroethylene (PCE) on site, which is a known carcinogen. In a 2012 carcinogenicity assessment, EPA set a Maximum Contaminant Level (MCL) of 5 parts per billion for drinking water. Long term exposure of PCE can cause adverse effects to the liver, kidneys and central nervous system. The Artesian Water Authority services 184,000 people in Hockessin, and government officials are predicting that 10,500 of these individuals may be affected by the contamination. Local officials claim that the tap water is “safe” to drink, but households that are not serviced through the Artesian Water Authority and those ingesting groundwater should be cautious. Currently, EPA is claiming that the source of contamination is unknown. PCE is an effluent typically associated with dry cleaning, textile operations and metal degreasing.

If you live near a Superfund site and are concerned about your water, drop us an email at hello@hydroviv.com or visit hydroviv.com and use our live chat feature. Hydroviv is staffed with scientists and policy experts that can help you make sense of your water and find an effective filter, even if it isn’t one we sell. Be sure to follow along this week as we discuss all of the newly designated Superfund sites!

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Newly Designated Superfund Sites

Analies Dyjak | Policy Nerd   

EPA recently added 6 new sites to the National Priorities List under the Superfund program. Cyanide, Lead, Tetrachloroethene (PCE), Trichloroethylene (TCE), 1,2-dichloroethylene (DCE), vinyl chloride, and Polychlorinated Biphenyls (PCBs) are just some of the toxic chemicals found at the newly designated sites. Our team is working around the clock to analyze each situation and put together articles and videos explaining how each site can impact your drinking water. Make sure to follow along and subscribe to our Twitter, Facebook, and Youtube as we discuss where each site is located and the contaminants that are present.  

What is a Superfund Site?

In 1980, the Carter administration decided to address years of environmental degradation by creating the Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation and Liability Act (CERCLA), commonly known as Superfund. Superfund establishes requirements concerning closed and abandoned hazardous waste sites, holds responsible parties liable for releases of hazardous waste, and establishes a fund to pay for remediation when a responsible party cannot be identified. Superfund is not necessarily a “cradle to grave” statute. It was established to clean up years of hazardous waste before disposal practices were being regulated, which is why many responsible parties cannot be identified.

Why do we care?

Hazardous waste and designated Superfund sites almost always end up affecting drinking water sources. Over periods of time, toxic sludge and vapor plumes at these abandoned hazardous waste sites seep into groundwater. The concern to humans is that the same contaminated groundwater is commonly used as a drinking source for a community. In fact, all 6 of the recently designated Superfund sites involve some sort of groundwater contamination. Many of the toxic chemicals found at Superfund sites are either known carcinogens or extremely toxic.

Federal Superfund Site Delegation Process

Prior to EPA’s delegation of a Superfund site, research, community involvement, and site inspections at the state and federal level must be conducted. This process can take years which is why it’s important to stay current with public notices within your community. Once the site meets certain standards, it’s added to the National Priorities List and officially becomes a designated Superfund site. CERCLA has the jurisdiction to delegate two types of response actions; short term removals and long term remedial response actions. For the purpose of this article, we will only be referring to long term remedial response actions. Long term actions permanently reduce the danger associated with releases of hazardous substances. These actions are dubbed serious, but not immediately life threatening. Short term and long term actions are both registered on EPA’s National Priorities List. This list is significant because it’s EPA’s way of addressing that there’s a serious problem that requires some sort of federal involvement. Superfund cleanup efforts are reviewed once every 5 years to see if remedial goals have been met. A site is removed from the National Priorities List once all response and remediation action has occurred. Typically, total remediation of a federal Superfund site can take decades because of the scope of groundwater and soil contamination.

Sources of Contaminants

As previously stated, the EPA detected several hazardous chemicals at each of the federal Superfund sites. The most common being Tetrachloroethene (PCE), which is commonly used by dry cleaning facilities. EPA also detected Trichloroethylene (TCE) which is an industrial solvent, typically used as a metal degreaser as well as a refrigerant in older refrigerators. Polychlorinated Biphenyls (PCBs) which were historically used in electrical manufacturing. Cyanide, lead, chromium 6, and mercury, were among some of the other toxic contaminants that EPA detected.

Make sure to follow along this week to learn more about each of the Superfund sites. We’ll be walking through each site, the contaminants that were detected and their toxicity. As always, we encourage you to take advantage of Hydroviv's "Help No Matter What" technical support policy, where we answer questions related to drinking water and water filtration, even if you have no desire to purchase our products. Drop us a line at hello@hydroviv.com

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