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NPL Site Narrative for Pohatcong Valley Ground Water Contamination
POHATCONG VALLEY GROUND WATER CONTAMINATION
Warren County, New Jersey
Federal Register Notice: March 31, 1989
Conditions at proposal (June 24, 1988): The Pohatcong Valley Ground Water Contamination Site in Warren County, New Jersey, involves the contamination of the "Kittatinny" Limestone Aquifer underlying Pohatcong Valley. The aquifer serves as the sole source of drinking water for public and private wells in the area. The site includes those portions of Franklin Township, Washington Township, and Washington Boro lying in the valley and encompasses approximately 3,500 acres, extending from the southwest side of Broadway-Asbury Road northeast to Route 31. Population density varies from sparse in the farmlands of Franklin Township to dense in Washington Boro.
Analyses of two public supply wells in 1978 and 1979 revealed high levels of tetrachloroethylene and trichloroethylene, prompting the closing of one well and the installation of a carbon filtration system at the other. In 1984 and 1985, the Warren County Health Department identified a number of volatile organic chemicals, primarily trichloroethylene, in 79 private wells throughout the valley. In cases where permissible levels for drinking water have been exceeded, Warren County is supplying bottled water. Plans are underway to establish a municipal water supply throughout the area of contaminated wells. An estimated 11,000 people obtain drinking water from public and private wells within 3 miles of the site.
The New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection has performed an extensive investigation to determine the source of contamination and has identified several likely sources.
Status (March 31, 1989): EPA is preparing a workplan for a remedial investigation/feasibility study to determine the type and extent of contamination at the site and identify alternatives for remedial action.
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.