12/18/1980 Special Mtg Board of Public Works

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SPECIAL MEETING A special meeting of the Board o 9:40 a.m., on Wednesday, December M. McMahon, with Mr. McMahon, Mr. E. Kernan present. Also present Rosenfeld. DECEMBER 18, 1980 f Public Works was convened at 18, 1980, by President Patrick Richard L. Hill and Mr. Joseph was Deputy City Attorney Robert RESULTS OF INVESTIGATION OF CONTAMINANTS -*OLIVE ST. PUMPING STATION Mr. McMahon stated that the purpose of the special meeting of the Board was to enter into the record a summary of where the city is with the investigation of contaminants which were found at the Olive Street Well Field. He explained that, as a result of odor problems at the beginning of the year, Well No. 4 had been taken out of service in April, and the balance of the field was shut down in June for precautionary measures. Mr. McMahon.advised that, in May, the city looked for professional consultants to conduct an investigation on behalf of the city in an effort to determine the extent of the pullutant and its source. He intro- duced Mr. Bruce Carter, representing the firm of Converse /TenEch. Mr. Carter explained that his firm began its investigation in early June of this year. The company examined the types of contaminants found and they were identified as chlorinated.salts and an attempt was made to quantify the contaminants. He advised that the con- taminants were entering into four of the six wells and the Board of Public Works had decided it would be wise to shut down the wells. Mr. Carter explained that there was an absence of a clay barrier in the vicinity of the well field. He further stated that, throughout most of the well. field, there was a protective barrier of clay; however., near Well No 4, there was no protective barrier. He advised that the water from the monitoring wells was analyzed and it was determined that the contaminant was entering from an easterly direction. He explained that the ground water flows in a northward direction east of Olive Street and in a northwesterly direction west of Olive Street. As a result of the tests conducted and the analysis made, it was determined that the contaminants were coming from a point 2,600 feet southeast of Well Field No. 4, between Indiana Avenue and the Penn Central Railroad. Mr. McMahon furnished copies to the media of a diagram of the entire Well Field and a list ofthe contaminants found. Mr. Carter stated that it appeared the area had been polluted sometime prior to the fall of 1977 because the time and travel between the source of the contaminant and Well No. 4 was roughly two and one -half years.. He explained that the contamination of the aquifer was still occurring because of the contaminated soil. He stated that the depth of the contaminant has not yet been defined but it was felt it would be rather shallow. He advised that soil analysis was performed and the contaminants were found to be above the ground water table. Mr. McMahon stated that the particular location shown as the source of the contaminants is an empty lot located between Steel Warehouse and Ashland Chemical Company. He stated that it was believed the lot was owned by a subsidiary of Steel Warehouse; however, he cautioned.that the city had no reason to believe that Steel Warehouse was involved and the city was of the belief that it was not the potential source of the contaminant. He stated that this matter had been fully discussed with the other adjacent property owner, Ashland Chemical, and all of the data and research had been supplied to the firm. He advised that the city has not yet had a response from Ashland Chemical but hoped to within the next couple of weeks. Mr. Hill stated that, because of the possibility of a potential litigation in this matter, the city was not in a position to affirmatively identify the company as the source of the contaminant at this time. Mr. McMahon explained that relocation of the well field would be extremely expensive, and the city did not believe that would have to be done but were in the hopes that the contaminants could be removed and the Well Field back in full service within two or three years. He advised that the city has experienced some operational losses and he cited as an example, the restricted sprinkling ban imposed during the summer. He estimated