Representatives of Union Pacific Railroad, scientists working for UP and representatives from the Kansas Dept. of Health and Environment spent about three hours on June 1 updating the community on efforts to clean up the contaminated groundwater resulting from a spill of the chemical trichloroethylene (TCE) decades ago at 29th and Grove streets.
A particular focus of the informational meeting was to let community members know KDHE had identified two areas where air inside homes should be tested to rule out possible contamination from TCE vapor intrusion.
NEW: Vapor Intrusion Testing in Homes
The areas in question are in the center of the groundwater plume from 21st Street south to 18th Street and from 16th Street to 10th Street. The west boundary is Piatt Ave. and the east boundary is Spruce.
Kristen South with the UP communications team said vapor intrusion tests have been conducted in the Boys and Girls’ Club, several schools and public buildings in the contaminated zone which stretches from the site of the spill at the Union Pacific Railyard at 29th and Grove south to Murdock and west to I-135.
Notices of the new recommended testing have gone out to the identified property owners, but only a few letters of permission have been received.
“What we are trying to do is find as many homeowners as possible and get permission to test the air in homes,” South said. “We have a lot of renters and we have to get the owner’s permission, even if the resident wants the testing. We’ve started going door to door to talk to people, explain what we are doing and get those signed permission forms.”
What if They Find TCE Gas Vapors?
Exposure to high levels of TCE, typically a concern for workers using the chemical in poorly ventilated areas or those who drink contaminated water, can cause health issues, including prostate and hepatic system cancers, miscarriages and birth defects.
A recent health study in the contamination area revealed a liver cancer rate double the rest of the city and a higher-than-average rate of birth defects.
TCE rapidly evaporates and disappears when exposed to air. But the gas is released as the chemical moves through the soil and can enter structures through basement cracks, plumbing lines and sumps in basements.
When soil probes reveal the presence of significant TCE gas in the soil, testing of the interior of nearby structures is recommended.
As part of the final remediation plan in the 29th and Grove contamination area, KDHE recommended soil probe testing to determine if there are still high levels of gas in the soil. If high levels are detected, venting similar to that used to remove radon or carbon monoxide are used to clean the air. South said the team would also seal up any cracks.
Extraction Wells Coming
UP is also working with the City of Wichita to choose the best sites for installing wells that will pump the contaminated water to the surface so it can be tested, treated, and returned to groundwater or surface streams.
The design for the wells to be used in the extraction process is ongoing, but a UP spokesperson said it is expected to be complete and wells in operation by next year. It will take another decade to complete the remediation.
Residents attending the June 1 event, billed as a “listening session,” expressed frustration at the slow pace of remediation.
“Not this again!” Aujanae Bennett, president of the Northeast Millair Neighborhood Association, said when she walked into the room and saw a large circle of materials displayed on tall easels. Mary Daly, a geologist with KDHE, said with the exception of the air vapor testing, not a lot has changed since KDHE completed its recommendations for final remediation more than a year ago.
That does not mean that work hasn’t been done. Monitoring of surface water from Chisholm Creek is ongoing and no contamination has been found. Soil probes have helped identify which homes or private businesses should be tested for vapor intrusion and the best sites for extraction wells are being identified.
South, with UP, said the effort to spread the word about vapor intrusion testing was the primary reason for the meeting. She said UP also wanted concerned residents to have a chance to go over informational materials and get their questions about what happened and what’s coming answered.
