Post date: Sep 01, 2014 4:35:28 AM
December 9, 2001
Deep Aquifer Contamination Found To Have Spread Farther Than Expected
High levels of 1,4-dioxane have been found in two new monitoring locations in the deep E aquifer. In late October, MW-71, located at Lakeview and Park Lake streets east of First Sister Lake, showed 1,4-dioxane levels at 371 and 402 ppb.
Then in late November, the DEQ issued an email notice with the following: "MW-72 was installed about 2,000 feet east-northeast of MW-71, on the inside curve of I 94 (where I-94 turns south, just west of Maple Road) and north of the Bethlehem Cemetery. The results of 941 ppb and 633 ppb taken from depths of 190 and 210 feet indicate that the contamination of the deeper Unit E aquifer has moved farther east than anticipated."
The discovery of such high levels of contamination so far from the original site is an ominous sign for area aquifers. We still don't know where all the contamination plumes are vertically and laterally, which ways they are going, and how fast.
It's important to point out that these high readings of 941 and 633 ppb are farther east than similar readings in the Evergreen plume, which means that this new plume is probably farther east than the Evergreen plume.
These readings are also higher than the readings at MW-71, which means that the path of the new plume has yet to be determined.
If the company and the DEQ can miss detecting this major plume of contamination for more than 15 years, then could they have missed other such plumes? Do Pall and the DEQ have the wherewithal to follow through on these new discoveries, fully define the extent of the contamination, and accomplish a protective and effective cleanup?