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EPA Finalizes Cleanup Plan for Rockaway Borough Wellfield Superfund Site

Release Date: 10/11/2007
Contact Information: Elizabeth Totman 212-637-3662, [email protected]

(New York, N.Y.) In a major step towards cleaning up the Rockaway Borough Wellfield Superfund Site in Morris County, New Jersey, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency has finalized its cleanup plan for the Klockner and Klockner (K&K) facility area, which has been identified as one of the borough’s sources of ground water contamination. According to the finalized plan, soil from the area contaminated by volatile organic compounds (VOCs) will be remediated and a portion disposed of off-site. EPA will also address a small area of lead-contaminated soil which will be excavated and disposed of off-site.

“By cleaning up the soil contamination, we are getting rid of one important source of contamination to the ground water,” said Alan J. Steinberg, Regional Administrator. “This will bring us one step closer to cleaning up the whole site, an exciting prospect for citizens in the borough.”

The Rockaway Borough Wellfield Superfund Site includes three municipal water supply wells. The wells supply potable water to approximately 11,000 people. In 1985, the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection investigated the site and concluded that contamination found in the municipal water supply was emanating from multiple source areas within the borough. Based on these findings, EPA initiated a follow-up investigation to identify the sources of contamination, determine its extent, and evaluate potential cleanup methods. EPA’s investigation of the area encompassed nearby businesses including dry cleaners, auto body repair shops, auto service and repair shops, banks, hardware stores, hairdressers, convenience stores, and food establishments. The borough police and fire departments, Memorial Park, and municipal parking lots were also investigated. Upon these investigations, it was determined that the sources of contamination were from industrial and commercial operations within the borough, including the K&K Facility.

The K&K facility consists of two separate properties, the first being located just north of Stickle Avenue and the second just south. The area is predominantly covered by roadways, driveways, parking areas and concrete buildings. To deal with soil contaminated by VOCs, EPA will excavate a portion of the soil as well as utilize vacuum wells to remove VOCs from additional soil; the approaches will be used at different locations on the site. EPA will also address soil contaminated with lead through excavation and off-site disposal.

For more information on the Superfund program, go to https://www.epa.gov/region02/superfund. For further information on the Rockaway Borough Wellfield site, visit https://www.epa.gov/region02/superfund/npl/0200766c.htm.

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