Mid-Atlantic Superfund

EPA Region 3 (Mid-Atlantic)

Pennsylvania
Montgomery County
Boyertown Area

EPA ID# PASFN0305500

6th Congressional District

Last Update: October 2003
No future updates

Other Names

None

Current Site Status

EPA is providing bottled water to affected residences, and will continue to do so unless future sampling data shows that the boron problem in the area is naturally occurring. No further cleanup action is planned at this time with no source of the boron contamination identified.

Site Description

The Congo Road Boron Site included several homes at which elevated concentrations of the element boron have been detected in the rural/residential Congo area. the Site was discovered during sampling activities completed as part of the nearby Boyertown Farms site. The source of the elevated boron is not known, but sampling and assessment activities are ongoing. Homes with boron concentrations exceeding EPA Removal Action Levels are provided a bottled source of drinking water by EPA. All area residents rely on ground water for their source of drinking water.

Site Responsibility

This site is being investigated through EPA CERCLA Removal Program authorities.

NPL Listing History

A CERCLA Removal Site

Threats and Contaminants

The element boron is not typically found at elevated concentrations in groundwater of southeastern Pennsylvania. Although potentially an essential nutrient in minor concentrations, elevated boron intake could lead to development problems such as low birth weight. Since area residents rely on ground water for drinking purposes, elevated levels or boron are unavoidably ingested. Boron is not easily removed from water, so filtration units are laregely ineffective.

Cleanup Progress

EPA is providing bottled water to affected residences. No further cleanup action is planned at this time with no source of the boron contamination identified.

Contacts

Site Contacts