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NPL Site Narrative for Ogallala Ground Water Contamination
OGALLALA GROUND WATER CONTAMINATION
Ogallala, Nebraska
Federal Register Notice: December 16, 1994Conditions at Proposal (October 14, 1992): The Ogallala Ground Water Contamination site is in the western part of Ogallala, Keith County, Nebraska, along the South Platte River. Land in the area is primarily used for industrial, commercial, and residential purposes. In 1987, the Nebraska Department of Health (NDH) detected various chlorinated organic compounds in five of the nine municipal wells serving Ogallala. Subsequent investigations identified ten companies as possible sources of the ground water plume and more have been suggested. Two companies have been studied in some detail.
Since 1987, American Shizuki Corp. has manufactured electrical components on an approximately 15-acre property at 301 West O Street. TRW, Inc., owned and operated the facility from the early 1960s through 1986. Operations involved various organic solvents, including trichloroethene (TCE) and 1,1,1-trichloroethane (TCA).
Since the early 1960s, Ogallala Electronics has manufactured electronics components on two parcels of land covering about 1 acre at 601 West 1st Street. Its operations also involve TCE and TCA.
A June 1990 Nebraska Department of Environmental Control (NDEC) soil-gas survey in Ogallala detected significant concentrations of TCE, TCA, and other chlorinated organic compounds on the properties of both companies. In mid-1991, NDEC detected similar compounds in monitoring wells in and around both properties, and in two Ogallala municipal wells. Earlier (1990), NDEC had detected similar compounds in six private wells. An estimated 5,100 people obtain drinking water from public and private wells within 4 miles of the site. Wells are also used for irrigation.
The 1990 soil-gas survey had identified additional potential sources of the contamination of Ogallala's wells. They will be investigated in the Remedial Investigation/Feasibility Study that typically follows listing.
Status (December 1994): The Remedial Investigation (RI) was started during the fourth quarter of 1994. The search for Potentially Responsible Parties (PRPs) is underway.
For more information about the hazardous substances identified in this narrative summary, including general information regarding the effects of exposure to these substances on human health, please see the Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry (ATSDR) ToxFAQs. ATSDR ToxFAQs can be found on the Internet at http://www.atsdr.cdc.gov/toxfaq.html or by telephone at 1-888-42-ATSDR or 1-888-422-8737.