- Public input sought on EPA’s proposed cleanup plan.
- Contaminated groundwater threatens Phoenix’s drinking water.
- Industrial activities introduced harmful chemicals into water supply.
- Public meeting scheduled for November 13.
November 12, 2024 — The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has unveiled a significant plan to tackle groundwater contamination in central Phoenix, Arizona, and is calling on the public to participate. The proposed cleanup targets Operable Unit 3 (OU3) of the Motorola, Inc. 52nd Street Superfund site
—an area bordered by McDowell Road, 20th Street, Buckeye Road, and 7th Avenue.
Contamination Threatens Drinking Water.
Decades of industrial and commercial activities have led to harmful chemicals seeping into the groundwater. Operations like dry cleaning, manufacturing of heating and air conditioning equipment, railroad activities, semiconductor manufacturing, and aerospace engineering released contaminants such as trichloroethene (TCE), 1,4-dioxane, 1,1-dichloroethane (DCA), 1,2,4-trichlorobenzene, and naphthalene into the water supply.
These pollutants pose serious risks to human health and the environment, rendering the groundwater unsafe for consumption. The EPA’s proposed plan outlines six cleanup options aimed at removing these contaminants to secure a safe future drinking water supply for the Phoenix community.
EPA Seeks Public Participation.
“The EPA encourages people to provide input on the proposed cleanup plan for the Motorola 52nd St. Superfund site,” said Michael Montgomery, Director of the Region 9 Superfund and Emergency Management Division. “This is a big step forward to protect groundwater and ensure a future supply of safe drinking water for the Phoenix community.”
The agency invites residents to review the plan and submit comments during a 45-day public comment period that began on November 1, 2024. A public meeting will be held tomorrow, November 13, 2024, from 5:00 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. at the Burton Barr Central Library’s Nina Mason Pulliam Auditorium at 1221 N. Central Ave. in Phoenix. Details on how to attend the meeting in person or online are available on the EPA’s Motorola site webpage. The website also provides a link to sign up to the mailing list.
Background on the Superfund Site.
The Motorola, Inc. 52nd Street Superfund site spans a seven-mile stretch of contaminated groundwater extending west from the former Motorola facility at 52nd Street. Multiple facilities have contributed to the pollution over time. Responsible parties have been operating soil gas and interim groundwater treatment systems, reducing contamination levels and shrinking the groundwater plume. Vapor intrusion mitigation systems have also been installed in 16 residential buildings and one commercial building near the former Motorola facility.
To effectively manage cleanup efforts, the site is divided into three areas called Operable Units (OUs). The Arizona Department of Environmental Quality (ADEQ) leads groundwater activities in OU1 and OU2, while the EPA leads vapor intrusion investigation and mitigation in those units and both groundwater and vapor intrusion investigations in OU3.
Ongoing Cleanup Efforts.
Cleanup actions at the site are a collaborative effort between federal, state, and potentially responsible parties. The EPA has conducted several five-year reviews to ensure that the remedies protect public health and the environment. The most recent review highlighted the need to address dense non-aqueous phase liquids (DNAPLs) in bedrock, explore increased groundwater extraction, and conduct an engineering review.
Monitoring of homes and apartments equipped with indoor air mitigation systems will continue, and investigations into potential vapor intrusion pathways are ongoing. These efforts will inform the final remedy for groundwater contamination downgradient from the site.
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Image (Public Domain):
2005 map of the North Indian Bend Wash Superfund Site in Maricopa County, Arizona
, including contaminated sites within Scottsdale and Tempe.
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