After decades of delay and frustration, Wichita is finally moving forward on two fronts to address the toxic groundwater contamination in the 29th and Grove neighborhood — cleanup of the site and medical testing for residents who may have been exposed.
On Oct. 21, the Wichita City Council unanimously approved a package of agreements allowing Union Pacific Railroad to construct and expand groundwater treatment facilities as part of a formal 10-year remediation plan. In addition, in compliance with an announcement earlier this year, agencies have been selected to conduct a $3.5 million program for free community health testing for liver and kidney damage linked to the contamination.
A Long-Delayed Cleanup
The contamination dates back to the mid-1970s, when trichloroethylene (TCE) — an industrial solvent used for cleaning metal parts — seeped into the soil and groundwater. The problem went undetected until 1994, and the source was traced to a former Union Pacific site in 1998
Union Pacific began working under a consent order with the Kansas Department of Health and Environment (KDHE) in 2002 and has since operated extraction wells and monitoring systems. The City Council’s recent action formally clears the way for construction to begin on a network of treatment sites expected to remove pollutants over the next decade.
What the Plan Includes
Union Pacific will build two new groundwater treatment facilities and expand an existing one at three locations:
- 13th Street between Pennsylvania and I-135
- 22nd Street between Ash and Opportunity Drive
- I-135 and Murdock Avenue, near Murdoch Park
note
Each site will feature small, shed-like structures housing pumps and filters to extract, treat and return clean water into Wichita’s stormwater system
Union Pacific has 180 days from the council’s approval to submit final designs to KDHE. Once the agency signs off, it will host a public meeting for residents to review construction plans and timelines
Health Testing Funds Secured
While construction moves forward, public-health officials are preparing to begin free screenings for residents who lived or still live near the contamination plume.
The Kansas Health Foundation (KHF) is administering $3.5 million in grants to local clinics to cover testing costs — including lab work, staff time and outreach. The funds come from a coalition of state, city, county, nonprofit and private-sector partners:
- State of Kansas: $2.5 million
- Kansas Health Foundation: $500,000
- City of Wichita & Sedgwick County: $125,000 each
- Wichita Foundation, Fidelity Bank, Blue Cross Blue Shield of Kansas, Stand Together Foundation and Sunflower Foundation: $350,000 combined
The testing program is expected to launch soon, Clinics receiving grants will provide free or low-cost screenings to anyone who lived within the affected area.
“This effort reflects what’s possible when we come together across business, nonprofit, city, county and state lines for the health and safety of our community,” said Sedgwick County Commission Chair Ryan Baty.
Ongoing Testing Urged
City Councilmember Brandon Johnson, who represents the area, urged residents to take advantage of the screenings and continue annual testing for early signs of liver or kidney cancer
“Even if you feel fine, get checked,” Johnson said. “Exposure to TCE can cause health problems that don’t appear for years. Regular testing is the best way to protect yourself and your family.”
Residents will receive notifications once KDHE schedules its public availability meeting and once local organizations begin the spill related testing for liver cancer.
“This is about accountability and long-term safety,” Johnson said. “We’re finally seeing both environmental cleanup and community health action at the same time — and that’s real progress for 29th and Grove.”
