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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 Sigmon’s Septic Tank Site (Site) is located approximately five miles southwest of Statesville, Iredell County, North Carolina. Covering approximately 15.35 acres, the Site contains a 1.25 acre pond which served as a former borrow pit, several infrastructures, six aboveground storage tanks (ASTs) containing liquid wastes, and a stockpile. The Site served as a former storage facility for septic wastes from 1978 to 1992. These wastes were excavated and placed into a stockpile in 1995.
The Site was included on the National Priorities List (NPL) on April 27, 2005 and divided into two Operable Units (OUs). OU-1 addresses the soil and stockpiles and OU-2 addresses groundwater. The prescribed remedy for the Site included excavation, off-site transportation, and disposal of contaminated soils in the stockpile at a Subtitle D landfill and implementation of monitored natural attenuation (MNA) for groundwater, including the installation of monitoring wells as part of the MNA system.
Recovery Act Award Funding
The Site was initially awarded $902,000 in American Recovery Reinvestment Act (ARRA) funds to complete the remedial action. The ARRA funds were obligated to the Site on July 6, 2009 and were expended by September 2009 at the completion of the remedial activities. Prior to the completion of the remedial action, discussions surrounding the soil’s cleanup goal were made. It was determined that the cleanup goal could be reduced as Human Exposure Status would remain achievable. As a result of the modified cleanup goal, the volume of contaminated soil was significantly reduced and furthermore, reduced the amount of ARRA funding required for excavation and disposal. A modified approximate total of $220,000 was obligated to the Site’s remedial activities. A total of eight jobs were created through the ARRA funds.
In August 2010, the Site was nationally recognized as the first ARRA Superfund Site to complete remedial action through the use of ARRA funds.
Remaining Tasks
Monitoring the natural attenuation of contaminated groundwater (OU-2) as a long-term response action; final remedial action reports which will be submitted by September 2011 and be made available at the designated Site repository. The Site is anticipated to be deleted from the NPL in June 2020.
Threats and Contaminants
Facility activities have resulted in releases of dichlorobenzene, mercury, and manganese 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. Over 5,000 people receive their drinking water from private or community wells within four miles of the Sigmon's facility. Recent data indicates that no site related contamination was detected above target clean-up levels in any private well. However, the site contained contaminates in the soil (stockpile) which consisted of benzo(a)pyrene equivalent and arsenic. The contaminants of concern in the groundwater are arsenic, manganese, iron, and 1,4 dichlorobenzene
Site Cleanup Plan
The Amended Record of Decision (AROD) for soil (stockpile) was signed on August 24, 2009. The major components of the Amended Remedy included excavation, transportation and disposal of the contaminated soil at a Subtitle D landfill. The Record of Decision (ROD) for groundwater was signed on August 31, 2009. The Selected Remedy for groundwater is monitored natural attenuation (MNA).
Cleanup Progress
EPA placed the site on the National Priorities List in 2005 and 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 Ecosystems Support Division (SESD) replaced filters to obtain maximum effectiveness for one year after installation, after which time residents became responsible for maintaining the treatment system. From 2007 to 2009, EPA conducted the Remedial Investigation/Feasibility Study for the site.
Cleanup of the Sigmon’s Septic Tank Superfund Site has been accelerated because of funding from the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act . In August 2009 EPA finalized two decision documents which described the cleanup actions necessary to address the site. Approximately 2700 tons of contaminated soil has been removed along with the installation of monitored natural attenuation program to address the contaminated groundwater. On September 30, 2009 EPA declared that all physical construction had been completed at the site. This information is documented in the site’s Preliminary Close Out Report.
In August 2009, EPA finalized two decision documents which described the cleanup actions necessary to address the site. Approximately 2700 tons of contaminated soil was removed and monitoring wells were installed for implementation of the monitored natural attenuation groundwater remedy. On September 30, 2009, EPA declared that all physical construction was complete at the site. An MNA groundwater monitoring program to track trends in concentrations over time and MNA effectiveness has been implemented. Using the ARRA funds to cleanup the site provided investment in the local community by supplying short term work to an estimated 125 dump truck operators. The remediation eliminated the environmental hazards to human health and the environment. It also resulted in a “Construction Completion” accomplishment, which is an important EPA commitment to Congress. EPA also provided the fullest possible public participation in decision-making during the process.
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. A proposed plan fact sheet was distributed to the public outlining current conditions at the site and the remedial alternatives under consideration. The public meeting was held on July 9, 2009, at the Celeste Henkel School, Statesville, North Carolina. At this meeting, representatives from EPA, NCDENR, Iredell County, and major property owners answered questions about the remedial alternatives and EPA received no comments during the public comment period.
Future Work
An MNA groundwater monitoring program to track trends in concentrations over time is on-going.
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
201 North Tradd Street
Statesville, NC 28117
Administrative Record Index
For documents not available on the website, please contact the Region 4 Freedom of Information Office.