Troy Superfund site facing $6M cleanup

TROY - The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency has a $6 million plan deal with the West Troy Contaminated Aquifer site located along North Elm Street near the Treasure Island Park and the Great Miami River.

The project was the focus of a virtual public meeting June 24 during which EPA officials outlined the history of the site and the cleanup proposal. Public comments are being taken by the EPA until July 24.

The site was placed on the Superfund Program’s National Priorities List in 2012 due to groundwater contamination with volatile organic compounds at the site. A private well in the 500 block of North Elm Street showed the compounds. That well was used to provide water for a bathroom and hand washing.

The cleanup is needed, though, to protect Troy’s city water well-fields. A city well in the area already is equipped with an air stripper pre-treatment system for the well water before it goes to the water treatment plant.

The proposed cleanup plan has a $6.082 million estimated cost.

The work would include:

- Groundwater: injecting into the aquifer microorganisms and an organic carbon food source for the organisms to break down contaminants

- Private well: connect the affected property to the city water supply and remove the private well

- Place controls on land and groundwater use

- Monitor contaminants in groundwater and potential vapor intrusion.

Jill Rhoades, Troy’s city engineer, said following the meeting that the city’s water is safe.

“The City of Troy provides high quality drinking water to it residents and surrounding communities. Troy ensures the quality of our water by implementing treatment processes that provide the highest quality and remove the West Troy Contaminated Aquifer contaminants to non-detection limits before supplying our customers,” Rhoades said. “Staff continually monitors our drinking water to ensure our quality drinking water.”

The contamination was first detected in 1986, and an EPA investigation traced its source to ground beneath two former auto dealerships and auto repair businesses on West Elm Street, according to EPA documents.

Contact this contributing writer at nancykburr@aol.com


For more information on the West Troy Contaminated Aquifer, visit www.epa.gov/superfund/west-troy-aquifer. Public comments can be made online at www.epa.gov/superfund/west-troy-aquifer; by calling 312-353-6646; and by mail to Meg Moosa, Tetra Tech Inc., 12334 Valley Vista Drive, Chesterland, Ohio, 44026.

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