Region 5 Superfund (SF)

U.S. EPA REGION 5
STEARNS COUNTY
WAITE PARK

Congressional District # 06

WAITE PARK WELLS

EPA ID# MND981002249
Last Updated: August, 2006

Site Description

The Waite Park Wells site consists of the city of Waite Park Wellfield property, the Burlington Northern property, and the Electric Machinery property within the city of Waite Park. Releases from Burlington Northern and Electric Machinery contributed to contamination of the municipal wells. The Electric Machinery Company discharged waste-chlorinated solvents into soil and groundwater from 1969 to 1975. The Burlington Northern Railroad used a car shop for maintenance, repair, and construction of railroad cars and other types of freight equipment since about 1894. The site covers approximately 200 acres. The Waite Park Wells and water supply treatment plant are located in the eastern one-third of the site. About one-half of the site has been turned over to the city of Waite Park which has sold some other parcels for industrial development. Approximately 5,000 people reside in Waite Park, and virtually all people are served by the municipal water system. The adjacent Sauk River joins the Mississippi River two miles from the site. The nearest houses are approximately 500 feet from the site. 

Site Responsibility

This Deferral Pilot site is being addressed through state, municipal, and potentially responsible parties' actions.

Threats and Contaminants

The Waite Park municipal wells are contaminated by trichloroethylene (TCE) and tetrachloroethylene (PCE) at levels above the recommended drinking water criteria. Remedial investigations (RIs) indicated the presence of free petroleum product above the water table; elevated levels of lead and other heavy metals in surface soils; polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) in soil and groundwater; and volatile organic compounds (VOCs) in groundwater. 

Cleanup Progress

In March 1986, as a result of emergency actions in response to the contamination in the Waite Park municipal wells, the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency (MPCA) issued a decision that the long-term water supply response action was air stripping treatment. In response to state enforcement documents, the responsible parties (RPs) for the Electric Machinery and Burlington Northern Railroad sites implemented the response action and, by agreement with the city, funded advanced water treatment in lieu of the operation and maintenance, which the city funds and conducts. Investigations determined that the majority of the contamination of the municipal wells resulted from releases from the Electric Machinery site.

A record of decision (ROD) for the remediation of contaminated groundwater was issued on January 5, 1989. In 1989, Electric Machinery implemented a groundwater remedy, consisting of groundwater pumpout and a packed tower aeration system with discharge to the Sauk River. The pumpout is currently shut down while groundwater quality is evaluated under static conditions. On July 15, 1994, a ROD was issued to Burlington Northern Railroad for the cleanup of contaminated soil and groundwater monitoring. Approximately 37,000 cubic yards of PCB- and metal-contaminated soils were stabilized, solidified, and placed in an onsite non-RCRA industrial landfill in 1995. All other RA work was completed. Groundwater monitoring around the containment cell and in the soil removal areas indicated groundwater remediation was not necessary.

MPCA completed a five-year review with recommendations in 1994. In 1999, the Resposible Parties (RPs) for the Electric Machinery site voluntarily implemented further source removal and a soil vapor extraction system. MPCA completed a second five-year review in February 2000 with recommendations implemented by the RPs. The water from old and new Waite Park municipal wells continues to be treated with air strippers. The old BN property is restricted to industrial uses; additional contaminated soil is being excavated and stabilized or removed as redevelopment occurs. Monitoring of the containment cell and remedial actions is ongoing at the Burlington Northern site.

A third five-year review report was completed on June 1, 2005.  Among the recommendations of the report was to evaluate whether the pumpout system at the Electric Machinery site should remain shutdown or whether pumping should be reinitiated.  A vapor intrusion study will also be performed at the Electric Machinery site to determine whether any vapors from the contamiantin in the groundwater are entering buildings.  Institutional controls must also be completed at the Electric Machinery site and the Burlington Northern site to limit disturbance of soil and the Burlington Northern landfill cap and also to prohibit installation of wells.      

 

Contacts

Remedial Project Manager, U.S. EPA
ronald murawski (murawski.ronald@epa.gov)
(312) 886-2940

Community Involvement Coordinator, U.S. EPA
cheryl allen
(312) 353-6196

Site Profile Information

This profile provides you with information on EPA's cleanup progress at this Superfund site.