Groundwater Contamination

A plume of PCE contaminated ground water is threatening a Salt Lake City municipal well.

January 27, 2006

District 6 Council Person Dave Buhler addresses about 150 residents attending a public hearing on the groundwater PCE contaminated plume in the vicinity of  900 South 1600 East. Expert panel members seated  left to right are SLCDPU deputy director Jeff Niermeyer P.E., Region VIII EPA environmental engineer Luke D Chavez, Utah DEQ Division of Environmental Response and Remediation  director Bret Johnson, Utah DEQ, Division of Drinking Water Kenneth H. Bousfield P.E., SLVHD bureau manager Brain W. Bennion, attorney Kevin Murray of Mabey and Murray, EPA Community involvement coordinator Peggy Linn, and Utah DEQ environmental scientist Chad G. Gilgren.
A plume of groundwater contaminated with Perchloroethylene (PCE) has been found by EPA and the State DEQ, Division of Environmental Response and Remediation in the vicinity of 900 South and 1600 East.  PCE is a common chemical used in dry cleaning. Public Utilities deputy director Jeff Niermeyer was notified by EPA in November ’05 that the plume was threatening the city’s 500 South Well located east of the 5th South Reservoir and Rice-Eccles Stadium on the University of Utah campus.  According to EPA the plume is moving towards the wellhead. Low levels of the chemical have been detected in the well through route testing, but the concentrations were well below the drinking water standard. There was no PCE found in the water leaving the 10-million gallon 5th South Reservoir.  The plume is located primarily in District 6 represented by Council Person Dave Buhler and a portion of District 5 represented by Council Person Jill Remmington Love.

EPA has asked if Salt Lake City would support listing the plume as a Superfund site in order to receive federal funding for additional studies and mitigation.   In consultation with Mayor Anderson and Council Persons Buhler and Love, it was determined that the first step was to notify the public about the situation.  A letter from Council Person Buhler was set to the residents in the affected area notifying them of the contamination plume and announcing a public meeting.  Council Person Buhler and Jeff Niermeyer took the lead role managing meetings with the various federal, state and county agencies. On January 10, 2006 the full City Council was briefed on the contaminated ground water.

On January 11, 2006 an expert panel hosted by Council Person Buhler and chaired by Jeff Niermeyer held the public meeting at the Bonneville Elementary School. The panel consisted of representatives from EPA, State DEQ Division of Environmental Response and Remediation, State DEQ Division of Drinking Water, Salt Lake Valley Health Department and an environmental attorney.

Approximately 150 citizens attended the public hearing.  The question posed was should the plume be listed as a Superfund site, or should the City pursue direct appropriations from the federal government to address the contamination issue. It is estimated that to construct a water treatment facility to remove the PCE from the well could cost upward to $2 million.

At the conclusion of the hearing, Council Person Buhler summarized by saying it appeared that the neighborhood preferred not to list the plume as a Superfund site, and to seek appropriations from the federal government to fund the remediation of the problem.

Addition public meetings will be held to inform the public of the issues and soliciting their input into the decision making process

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