Jump to main content.

Fact Sheet

May 2005

EPA Technical Assistance Grant Now Available, Parkview Well Site
Grand Island, Hall County, Nebraska

EPA recently proposed the Parkview Well Site, in Grand Island, Hall County, Nebraska to its Superfund National Priorities List or NPL. Due to this proposal, the community is now eligible for a Technical Assistance Grant or TAG.

The TAG allows a community group to hire an independent expert to help them understand what’s going on at the site. By law, only one grant for up to $50,000 may be awarded.

Groups wishing to file for the TAG can:

If you would like more information about the TAG please visit the TAG website at:
http://www.epa.gov/superfund/tools/tag/index.htm or contact:

Hattie Thomas, EPA Region 7
Technical Assistance Grants Project Officer
901 N. 5th Street
Kansas City, Kansas 66101
1-913-551-7003
Toll-free: 1-800-223-0425
E-mail: thomas.hattie@epa.gov

Parkview Well Superfund Site
Grand Island, Nebraska

The Parkview Well Site covers an area of ground water contamination located near the southwest corner of Grand Island in Hall County, Nebraska. The main contaminants at this site are tetrachloroethylene (PCE) and 1,1-dichloroethylene (DCE) which are found in common industrial solvents. In September 2004, EPA proposed the Site to the National Priorities List, or NPL, which is a list that identifies the highest priority sites in the United States.

Response Activities (to date):

Investigations have identified two apparent plumes of ground water contamination. The south plume extends from the Indianhead Golf Course west of the Marylane, Kentish Hills, and Castle Estates subdivisions to the east and northeast where it is impacting an area near the Parkview subdivision. A north plume extends from the Case New Holland (CNH) property. EPA is trying to determine the source of the contamination and how it is impacting the drinking water supply near the Parkview subdivision.

In 1999, routine monitoring first detected VOCs in municipal well PWSW-4. In August 2001, analysis of ground water from PWSW-4 detected volatile organic compounds (VOCs) at concentrations exceeding health-based levels. In 2001 and 2002, sampling by the City identified similar VOCs in several private drinking water wells around the Parkview subdivision. This municipal well and several domestic wells have been closed due to the contamination. Ground water in this area moves in an easterly and northeasterly direction, and ground water contamination is likely migrating in that direction.

In the fall of 2002, CNH conducted an investigation of soil and ground water at impacted areas on their property. Results from this investigation indicated significantly elevated levels of VOCs in soil and ground water.

In the summer and fall of 2003, the EPA, state, city, county, and CNH conducted additional investigations and confirmed that several private drinking water wells at the Parkview, Marylane, Kentish Hills, and Castle Estates subdivisions were contaminated with VOCs, some above drinking water standards. Over 70 private drinking water wells were found to contain ground water contaminated with VOCs at levels exceeding health based levels. CNH agreed to provide an alternate water supply to the affected residents.

Current Removal Actions:

EPA removal actions are intended to address the immediate threats posed by contamination at the Site. EPA, in consultation with the Nebraska Department of Health and Human Services System, has evaluated the risk to individuals who are drinking contaminated water from the Site. EPA has determined that there are certain levels of contamination in the ground water that may pose an unacceptable health risk to these individuals.

If levels of contamination in private drinking water wells are more than 5 micrograms per liter (ug/l) of PCE or 261 ug/l of DCE, then EPA will provide an alternate water supply to that residence until it can be connected to the municipal water supply or provided with whole-house treatment, if connection to the municipal system is not an option.

EPA conducted further follow-up ground water investigations in August 2004, October 2004, December 2004, and most recently in March 2005. EPA confirmed that several private wells contained PCE at levels of concern. For those residences affected, EPA is working with the city, state and the homeowner to determine the best strategy for preventing exposure to the contamination.

To date, EPA has connected six homes to the city water supply and is in the process of connecting five additional homes to city water. Two other homes are not located in proximity to a suitable distribution line will be provided with whole-house water treatment systems. All affected residences have been offered bottled water until either a connection or treatment system is in place. EPA intends to continue periodic monitoring of wells threatened by contamination.

Future Remedial Actions:

The EPA remedial process is designed to find long-term solutions to address the contamination at the Site. Remedial investigations are being planned for all areas of the Site to fully define the extent of the contamination and identify the source(s) of contamination. Field activities for the remedial investigation will begin in May 2005, although much of the investigation will rely to a great degree on previously collected information. Where data gaps exist, supplemental information will be gathered.

Plans are also being made to conduct a feasibility study which is a document that will evaluate different alternatives to clean up the contamination. EPA will ultimately present this information to the community and ask for comments on EPA=s proposed actions before making decisions regarding the cleanup. EPA also continues to conduct investigations to determine who is responsible for the contamination at the Site.

Additional Information:

The Removal Action Administrative Record for the Site is available for public review at:

Edith Abbott Memorial Library
211 N. Washington
Grand Island, NE 68801

 Environmental Protection Agency Region 7
Records Center
901 N. 5th Street
Kansas City, KS 66101

For more information on this Fact Sheet or the Site, please contact:

Beckie Himes, Community Involvement Coordinator
U.S. EPA Region 7
901 N. 5th Street
Kansas City, Kansas 66101
Phone: 913/551-7003 or Toll free: 1-800-223-0425
himes.beckie@epa.gov

Local Navigation

Jump to main content.