![[logo] US EPA](http://www.epa.gov/epafiles/images/logo_epaseal.gif){kind=logo}
Sigmon's Septic Tank Service
National Information
Photos/Multimedia
Site photo goes here.
- Additional Site Photos
- Site Video
Additional Resources
- Site Cleanup Terms - can be found in EPA's glossary
- EPA Guides to Cleanup Technologies
- Superfund Community Involvement (PDF) (17 pp, 130K, About PDF)
Site Summary Profile
EPA ID: NCD062555792Location: Statesville, Iredell County, NC
Lat/Long: 35.713610, -080.974580
Congressional District: 05
NPL Status: Proposed: 09/23/04; Final: 04/27/05
Affected Media: Ground water, Soil
Cleanup Status: Early Action Initiated/Completed and Design Underway – Physical cleanup activities have started.
Site Reuse/Redevelopment: Potential for light Industrial
Site Manager: Beverly Stepter (stepter.beverly@epa.gov)
Site Background
The 15-acre Sigmon’s Septic Tank site is located in Statesville, Iredell County, North Carolina. The Sigmon’s Septic Tank Service was owned and operated by the Sigmon family since 1948. The business pumped septic tank wastes and heavy sludges from residential, commercial, and industrial customers; installed and repaired septic tanks; and provided a variety of industrial waste removal services. From 1978 to 1992, the property owners placed septic wastes in several unlined lagoons which had been dug on approximately 1.2 acres of the property. In 1995, the North Carolina Environment and Natural Resources required the closure of the lagoons.
Threats and Contaminants
Facility activities have resulted in releases of dichlorobenzene, mercury, manganese, and nickel to ground water and arsenic to surface waters downgradient of the facility. Ground water contamination from facility operations has affected the principal source of drinking water in the area and has been detected in several private drinking water wells. Over 5,000 people receive their drinking water from private or community wells within four miles of the Sigmon's facility. Residents at two properties near the Sigmon's facility have been advised not to drink the water due to the contamination. Arsenic has been detected at levels significantly greater than background levels in an unnamed tributary to the Catawba River, which is heavily fished and is partially bordered by wetlands.
Site Cleanup Plan
The cleanup plan for the Sigmon's Septic Tank site covered two operable units (OUs): OU-1 (soil) and OU-2 (ground water).
The Record of Decision (ROD) for OU-1 was issued in 2006. Major elements of the cleanup plan included:
- Excavation of surface and subsurface soil containing contaminants of concern above site-specific remedial goal concentrations.
- Contaminated soils that fail the Toxicity Characteristic Leaching Procedure will be treated to meet applicable treatment standards using solidification/stabilization technologies.
- Off-site transportation and disposal of the treated and untreated soil at a Resource Conservation and Recovery Act Subtitle D Landfill.
- Backfill the excavated area with clean borrow material obtained from a local source.
- Revegetate and restore site to safe and usable conditions.
Studies are currently underway to characterize the nature and extent of contamination for OU-2. Remedial alternatives will be investigated once these studies have been completed.
Cleanup Progress
EPA conducted a Non-Time-Critical Removal Action at the site in March 2006. Actions included installation of filters on private drinking water wells and provision of bottled water to residents that were potentially impacted by site contamination. EPA’s Science and Ecosystem Division replaced filters to obtain maximum effectiveness for one year after installation, after which time residents became responsible for maintaining the treatment system.
A remedy has been selected for OU-1; however, further investigation is needed to characterize the extent of contamination before a remedy can be selected for OU-2.
Site cleanup activities are being led primarily by EPA.
Enforcement Activities
Community Involvement
EPA has conducted a range of community involvement activities at the Sigmon’s Septic Tank Service site to solicit community input and to ensure that the public remains informed about site activities throughout the site cleanup process. Outreach activities have included public notices, fact sheets, interviews, and public meetings on cleanup activities and updates.
Fact Sheets
- Proposed Plan Fact Sheet (PDF) (10 pp, 438K, About PDF)
Future Work
A cleanup plan for OU-2 will be selected once studies to characterize the extent and nature of ground water contamination have been completed.
Site Administrative Documents
- Amended Record of Decision OU1 (Soils)(PDF) (44 pp, 5.58MB, About PDF)
- Record of Decision OU2 (Groundwater) (PDF) (126 pp, 24.61MB, About PDF)
Site Repository
For more information or to view any site-related documents, please visit the site information repository at the following location. As new documents are generated, they will be placed in the information repository for public information.
Iredell County Library
135 East Wales Street
Statesville, NC 23677
Administrative Record Index
For documents not available on the website, please contact the Region 4 Freedom of Information Office.