Present and potential impacts of toxic substances on municipal ground water resources in NC

PRESENT AND POTENTIAL IMPACTS OF

TOXIC SUBSTANCES ON MUNICIPAL

GROUND WATER RESOURCES

IN NORTH CAROLINA

Donald Huisingh Division of University Studies North Carolina State University

and Janet R . Hatley Department of Biology

Louisburg College

June 1983

-

PRESENT

AND

POTENTIAL IMPACTS OF

TOXIC SUBSTANCES

ON MUNICIPAL GROUND WATER RESOURCES

IN

NORTH CAROLINA

BY

Donald Huisingh

and

Janet

R.

Hatley

Division of University Studies

North Carolina State University

Raleigh, N. C.

2 7 6 5 0

and

Department of Biology

Louisburg College

Louisburg,

N.

C.

27549

Project No.

70019

June

1983

The work upon which this publication is based was supported

by

funds provided

ACKNOGiLEDGrnNTS

We w i s h t o e x p r e s s o u r s i n c e r e a p p r e c i a t i o n t o t h e many s t a t e government

o f f i c i a l s from t h e D e p a r t m e n t s of A g r i c u l t u r e , Human R e s o u r c e s , and N a t u r a l

R e s o u r c e s and Community Development f o r t h e i r h e l p f u l n e s s i n p r o v i d i n g t h e

d a t a upon which t h i s r e p o r t i s b a s e d and f o r a n s w e r i n g o u r numerous q u e s t i o n s .

Thanks t o t h e p e r s o n n e l of LZIS and t h e Department of T r a n s p o r t a t i o n f o r

t h e i r a s s i s t a n c e i n t h e p r e p a r a t i o n of t h e maps w i t h i n t h i s r e p o r t .

Thanks t o t h e COG and County E n v i r o n m e n t a l A f f a i r s o f f i c i a l s f o r t h e

h e l p f u l i n f o r m a t i o n t h e y p r o v i d e d .

We a r e g r a t e f u l t o t h e Water R e s o u r c e s R e s e a r c h I n s t i t u t e f o r

u n d e r w r i t i n g t h i s p r o j e c t and t o t h e I n s t i t u t e ' s s t a f f f o r i t s g r a c i o u s and t i r e l e s s c o o p e r a t i o n t h r o u g h o u t t h i s s t u d y .

Our s i n c e r e g r a t i t u d e t o X r . L a r r y h r t i n f o r h i s a b l e a s s i s t a n c e d u r i n g t h e p r e p a r a t i o n of t h e m a n u s c r i p t and g r a p h i c s .

Our a p p r e c i a t i o n t o Ms. J e a n n e Adams f o r h e r e x c e l l e n t p r e p a r a t i o n of t h e f i n a l m a n u s c r i p t .

F i n a l l y , o u r most s i n c e r e a p p r e c i a t i o n t o o u r f a m i l i e s f o r t h e i r p a t i e n t

s u p p o r t d u r i n g t h e p r o j e c t . +

D

I

SCLXI3EX STXTE>BNT

ABSTRACT

PRESENT AND POTENTIAL, IMPACTS OF

TOXIC SUBSTANCES

ON MUNICIPAL GROUND WATER RESOURCES

IN

NORTH CAROLINA

The locations of approximately

2 , 0 0 0

toxic substances and hazardous waste

problem sites in North Carolina are presented graphically in relation to the

locations of the

260

towns and municipalities dependent upon ground water. It

i s estimated that approximately

4 8 0 , 0 0 0

North Carolina residents utilize

6 4 , 0 0 0 , 0 0 0

gallons of ground water daily through municipal wells. The ground

water of some of these municipalities is especially vulnerable to

contamination from toxic substances that are or may emanate from the sites

identified. Recommendations are made for increased monitoring for the

presence of toxic substances in water from municipal and private wells in the

vicinity of the toxic and hazardous waste sites identified.

An

integrated and

comprehensive ground water and surface water management strategy that will

TABLE OF CONTENTS

ABSTRACT

LIST OF FIGURES

LIST OF TAGLES

SumARY

AND RECOmNDATIONS

INTRODUCTION

SECTION ONE

~ o r t h C a r o l i n a M u n i c i p a l i t i e s Dependent Upon Ground Water

SECTION TWO

N o r t h C a r o l i n a ' s Top S e v e n t y P r i o r i t y Ground Water P o l l u t i o n S i t e s

SECTION THREE

S p i l l s of T o x i c and H a z a r d o u s Summary of S p i l l s S e c t i o n

SECTION FOUR

P e s t i c i d e R e l a t e d I s s u e s A. P e s t i c i d e C o n t a i n e r Dump B . P e s t i c i d e D i s p o s a l C a s e s

C. A J d i c a r b Ground Water S u r v e y P i l o t P r o j e c t S u b s t a n c e s

S i t e S t u d y

SECTION FIVE

S u r f a c e Impoundments A s s e s s m e n t

A. A g r i c u l t u r a l S u r f a c e Impoundments

B.

Mining S u r f a c e Impoundments C . H u n i c i p a l S u r f a c e Impoundments

\ D. I n d u s t r i a l S u r f a c e Impoundments

E . S u r f a c e Impoundment I n v e n t o r y Summary

SECTION SIX

N o r t h C a r o l i n a P e r m i t t e d S a n i t a r y L a n d f i l l s

SECTION SEVEN

Abandoned Hazardous Waste S i t e s

SECTION EIGHT

-.

Water Q u a l i t y I s s u e s I d e n t i f i e d by O f f i c i a l s from t h e C o u n c i l s o f Government and by County

E n v i r o n m e n t a l A f f a i r s O f f i c i a l s

Page

LIST OF FIGURES

Page

Figure 1:

North Carolina Municipalities Dependent

Upon Ground Water

15

Figure 2:

North Carolina's Top Seventy Priority

Ground Water ?ollution Sites by NRCD Region

19

Figure 3:

Pesticide Container Dump Sites in Relation

to North Carolina Yunicipalities Dependent

Upon Ground Water

4

3

Figure 4:

Agricultural Surface Impoundments in Relation

to North Carolina Municipalities Dependent

Upon Ground Water

Figure 5:

Mining Surface Impoundments in 3elation to

North Carolina ?lunicipalities Dependent

Upon Ground Water

Figure 6:

Hunici

pal Surf

ace Impoundments in Re1

at

ion

to North Carolina Hunicipalities Dependent

Upon Ground Water

5

5

Figure

7:

Industrial Surface Impoundments in Relation

to North Carolina Xunicipalities Dependent

Upon Ground Water

5

9

Figure 8:

North Carolina Perfitted Sanitary Landfills

in Relation to North Carolina Hunicipalities

Dependent Upon Ground Water

6 5

Figure 9:

Abandoned

Hazardous Waste Sites

in Relation

to

North Carolina Hunicipalities Dependent Upon

LIST OF TABLES

Page

Tab1 e 1 : N o r t h C a r o l i n a X u n i c i p a l i t i e s Dependent Upon Ground W a t e r , P o p u l a t i o n S e r v e d , and Q u a n t i t i e s of Water U t i l i z e d i n M i l l i o n s of G a l l o n s p e r Day (MGD)

T a b l e 2 : D e s c r i p t i o n s o f Top S e v e n t y P r i o r i t y Ground Water P o l l u t i o n S i t e s , Ten from Each o f t h e Seven NRCD Regions

SLMMARY AND RECOMMENDATIONS

I n N o r t h C a r o l i n a t h e r e a r e a p p r o x i m a t e l y 4 7 7 , 0 0 0 p e o p l e i n 260

m u n i c i p a l i t i e s w i t h d r a w i n g 6 4 , 0 0 0 , 0 0 0 g a l l o n s of ground w a t e r e a c h d a y . I n

t h i s r e p o r t we have i d e n t i f i e d approximately2,OOO s i t e s a s p r e s e n t a n d / o r

p o t e n t i a l s o u r c e s of ground w a t e r c o n t a m i n a t i o n .

The

p o t e n t i a l impact of t h e s u b s t a n c e s f r o m t h e s e s i t e s upon t h e h e a l t h

o f i n d i v i d u a l s d e p e n d e n t on m u n i c i p a l w e l l s i n a d d i t i o n t o t h e l a r g e r u r a l

p o p u l a t i o n u t i l i z i n g p r i v a t e w e l l s c a n n o t be i g n o r e d .

The p u b l i c may be exposed t o t o x i c m a t e r i a l s t h r o u g h a v a r i e t y of

p a t h w a y s . O f a l l t h e a v e n u e s of c o n t a c t , t h e c o n t a m i n a t i o n of ground w a t e r

u s e d a s d r i n k i n g w a t e r s u p p l y may be t h e most i n s i d i o u s . The l o n g - t e r m h e a l t h

e f f e c t s r e s u l t i n g from s u c h e x p o s u r e s a r e u n c e r t a i n , b u t t h e y may be q u i t e

s e r i o u s . For example, i n one c a s e of c o n t a m i n a t e d d r i n k i n g w a t e r ( a s s o c i a t e d

w i t h a h a z a r d o u s w a s t e dump i n Hardeman C o u n t y , T e n n e s s e e ) , t h e l e v e l s of

c a r b o n t e t r a c h l o r i d e e x c e e d e d t h e p r o p o s e d w a t e r q u a l i t y c r i t e r i a by a f a c t o r

o f 1 0 , 0 0 0 . T h i s i s o n l y one of many s u c h c a s e s . "EPA r e p o r t e d t h a t o f 418

u n c o n t r o l l e d h a z a r d c u s w a s t e s i t e s i n t h e n a t i o n t h a t need p r i o r i t y a t t e n t i o n ,

3 4 7 p o s e d i r e c t t h r e a t s t o d r i n k i n g w a t e r s u p p l i e s and c o u l d c a u s e b i r t h d e f e c t s , c a n c e r , and o t h e r d i s e a s e s " (OTX, 1 9 8 3 ) .

I n a d d i t i o n t o t h e p o t e n t i a l i m p a c t on human h e a l t h t h e c o n t a m i n a t i o n of

an a q u i f e r can have s i g n i f i c a n t f i n a n c i a l r a m i f i c a t i o n s .

The s t a t e of H i c h i g a n h a s i d e n t i f i e d 268 c a s e s o f c o n f i r m e d ground w a t e r

p o l l u t i o n . The Department of N a t u r a l R e s o u r c e s e s t i m a t e s t h a t t h e t e s t s t o

d e t e r m i n e t h e e x t e n t of c o n t a m i n a t i o n w i l l c o s t $12.9-$46.1 m i l l i o n (CEQ,

l 9 8 P ) . T h i s does n o t i n c l u d e t h e c o s t of a t t e m p t i n g t o c l e a n t h e a q u i f e r o r

r e p l a c e i t w i t h a new s o u r c e o f d r i n k i n g w a t e r .

A t l a n t i c C i t y , New J e r s e y

i s

p r o p o s i n g t o u t i l i z e a new ground w a t e r

s u p p l y a t a c o s t of $ 7 m i l l i o n b e c a u s e i t s e x i s t i n g w e l l s y s t e m i s i n imminent d a n g e r of c o n t a m i n a t i o n by a t o x i c plume f r o m a n abandoned l a n d f i l l .

Rockaway, New J e r s e y i s s p e n d i n g $ 1 2 0 , 0 0 0 a y e a r t o i n t e r c e p t and f i l t e r i t s c o n t a m i n a t e d ground w a t e r ( J a c k s o n , 1 9 8 2 ) .

S e c t i o n Two

X o r t h C a r o l i n a ' s t o p 70 p r i o r i t y g r o u n d w a t e r p o i i u c i o n s i t e s a s i d e n t i - f i e d e a r l y i n 1 9 8 3 by t h e e n v i r o n m e n t a l s p e c i a l i s t s i n e a c h of NRCD's s e v e n

r e g i o n a l f i e l d o f f i c e s a r e d e s c r i b e d a n d mapped. We recommend t h a t t h e s e

70 s i t e s b e g i v e n prompt a t t e n t i o n .

S e c t i o 2 T h r e e

S p i l l s o f a w i d e a r r a y o f s u b s t a n c e s h a v e b e e n o c c u r r i n g a n n u a l l y t h r o u g h o u t

N o r t h C a r o l i n a . Yo c l e a r p i c z u r e o f f r e q u e n c y o f s p i l l s i n p a r r L c u l a r a r e a s i s

e v i d e n t . The p o t e n t i a l i m p a c t s o f s p i l l e d ' F t e r L a l s a r e , o f c o u r s e , d e p e n d e n t ' ,'

u p o n f a c t o r s s u c h a s : h y d r o g e o l o g y o f t h e ' k e g i o n , t y p e o f s u b s t a n c e ( s ) s p i l l e d ,

v o l u m e o f m a t e r i a l s p i l l e d , l e n g t h o f t i m e b e f o r e c l e a n - u p e f f o r t s a r e i n i t i a t e d ,

a n d s u c c e s s o f c l e a n - u p e f f a r t s . Ground w a t e r c o n t a r n i n a ~ i o n fr o m s p i l l s was

h i g h l i g h t e d by XRCD r e g i o n a l s p e c i a l i s t s i n a l m o s t e v e r y r e g i o n . We recommend

t h a t e d u c a t i o n a l p r o g r a m s o n s p i l l p r e v e n t i o n , d e t e c t i o n a n d c l e a n - u p b e d e v e l o p e d

a n d p r o v i d e d t o p e r s o n n e l o f t h e c o u n t y , r e g i o n a l a n d s t a t e e m e r g e n c y r e s p o n s e a g e n c i e s . L e a k s o f p e t r o l e u m p r o d u c t s a n d i n d u s t r i a l s o l v e n t s f r o m u n d e r g r o u n d

s t o r a g e t a n k s p o s e a m a j o r t h r e a t t o N . C . ' s g r o u n d w a t e r r e s o u r c s s . The D e p a r t -

n e n c s o f A g r i c u l t u r e a n d

NRC3

d e a l w i z h s p e c i f i c a s p e c t s o f u n d e r g r o u n d s t o r a g e

t a n k s , b u t n e i t h e r d e p z r t n e n z h a s a u ~ h o r i t y t o p r o v i d e g u i d e l i n e s f o r u n d e r -

g r o u n d s t o r a g e t a n k s .

S e c t i o n F o u r

.A number o f pesticide-related issues are a d d r e s s e d i n S e c r i o n F o u r .

P e s t i c i d e c o n t a i n e r dump s i t e s a r e p a r t i c u l a r l y c o n c e n t r a t e d i n f i v e c o u n t i e s .

T h o s e c o u n t i e s , t h e number o f dun? s i t e s a n d :he number o f p e o p l e s e r v e d b y

m u n i c i p a l w e l l s a r e as f o l l o w s :

' 1. S c o t l a n d County w i t h 4 1 s i t e s a n d 1 4 , 5 0 0 p e o p l e d e p e n d e n t upon

m u n i c i p a l w e l l w a t e r

2 . H a r n e t t County w i t h 3 1 s i t e s a n d 3 , 0 0 0 p e o p l e d e p e n d e n t upon m u n i c i p a l w e l l w a t e r

3 . C a s w e l l County x i t h 29 s i t e s a n d 235 p e o p l e d e p e n d e n t upon m u n i c i p a l g r o u n d w a t e r

4.

Columbus County w i t h 2 3 s i t e s a n d 1 3 , 0 0 0 p e o p l e d e p e n d e n t upon m u n i c i p a l g r o u n d w a t e r

Section Seven

-

While the data on abandoned hazardous waste sites are imprecise and have

many errors in terms of specific locations, generally the large number

of

sites in the Piedmont industrial crescent and Coascal Plain warrant careful

scrutiny. The Department of Human Resources is in the process of performing

detailed studies of these sites. Containment and site clean-up will probably

be necessary at many of these sites.

Section Eight

Many general and specific zecommendations ate made by COG and county

environmental affairs personnel. We refer the reader to that section and

recommend that those suggestions be given serious attention.

General Recommendations

"High quality ground water

-

especially that used for domestic drinking

water is an imperiled resource in many locations today. Once contaminated, it

say rernain so for hundreds of years, perhaps longer"

(CEQ,

1981).

It is with

this perspective that

we

make the following recommendations for North Carolina

officials

:

-

A closer working relationship should be forged between and among

various state government departments and agencies

in

order

to more

adequately protect and manage our ground water.

-

A

closer working relationship should be developed among the COGs 2nd

between the COGs and state government departments and agencies.

-

More attention should be directed to the water quality of private

wells. While the prime focus of this project has been upon municipal

wells, we have become increasingly aware of the potential for

contamination of private wells by these toxic/hazardous materials.

-

There is a need for further research into the nature of ground water

and pollutant movement in the several hydrogeological regions of the

state.

-

Development and implementation of

a

ground water classification

system is

a

high priority item. The management approach that is

developed should also recognize

the

interrelationships between the

surface and ground waters.

1 '

-

Improved regulations for the safe storage and disposal of pesticides

INTRODUCTION

Ground water is one of our state's least understood and most valuable

natural resources.

It

serves as the source of drinking water for more than

half our state's human population and is utilized extensively for agricultural

and industrial activities. Furthermore, ground water emerges naturally from

the ground and mixes with the surface waters of ponds, lakes, rivers and the

oceans and is therefore an integral component of the entire hydrologic cycle.

The critical importance of ground water was underscored recently in an

international survey of "Ground Water Use and Future Requirements," conducted

by the International Hydrological Programme of UNESCO. Results of the survey

showed that present designs for a productive future and the present well-being

in Europe and North America "depend to a significant extent on the

availability of sufficient quantities of ground water of adequate quality."

A

clear need for effective ground water management is indicated by the

increasing incidence of contaminants being detected in the aquifers serving

major population areas (Jackson, 1982).

Pye (1982), commenting upon the human health implications of

contamination of ground water, said, "The lack of comprehensive nationwide

surveys of the extent and severity of ground water contamination, and the

paucity of data on the carcinogenicity of ground water contaminants make it

impossible to assess the national risks of drinking polluted water."

While the health risks of drinking contaminated water are not clear and

much more research is needed to ascertain safe exposure limits, instances are

being documented that our activities have caused and are causing ground water

contamination in many places in the nation.

In 1974, 148 wells in Dover, New Jersey, were closed due to contamination

from a landfill containing 6,000

barrels of liquid chemical wastes. In 1977,

16 private wells in Gray, Maine, were closed.

Trichlorethylene (TCE),

trichlorethane, acetone, xylene, freon, dimethyl sulfite and several alcohols

leaked from an industrial site that handled waste oil from an ocean oil

spill. In May 1978, wells supplying 80% of the drinking water for Bedford,

Massachusetts, were found to be contaminated with the toxic organic chemicals

dioxane and trichlorethylene.

In

January 1980, California closed wells that

o f w e l l s s u p p l y i n g w a t e r t o m i l l i o n s of p e o p l e t h r o u g h o u t t h e U. S . h a v e b e e n

c l o s e d b e c a u s e of t o x i c o r g a n i c c h e m i c a l s i n h i g h c o n c e n t r a t i o n s w e l l a b o v e 1 0

ppb ( C X Q , 1 9 8 1 ) .

C u r r e n t l y , t h e U. S . C o n g r e s s i s d e b a t i n g amendments t o t h e S a f e D r i n k i n g Water Act (SDWA) p a s s e d i n 1 9 7 4 . They a r e d o i n g t h i s amid m o u n t i n g e v i d e n c e

t h a t many p u b l i c w a t e r s y s t e m s and i n d i v i d u a l w e l l s h a v e b e e n c o n t a m i n a t e d

w i t h i n d u s t r i a l w a s t e s , p e s t i c i d e s and e x o t i c c h e m i c a l s e m a n a t i n g f r o m a w i d e

v a r i e t y of s o u r c e s . N e a r l y 1 , 0 0 0 v o l a t i l e m g a n i c c h e m i c a l s have b e e n

i d e n t i f i e d i n t r e a t e d d r i n k i n g w a t e r s u p p l i e s around t h e n a t i o n , and e v e n l o w

c o n c e n t r a t i o n s of some of t h e s e o r g a n i c c h e m i c a l s a r e s u s p e c t e d of c a u s i n g

c a n c e r , b i r t h d e f e c t s and o t h e r s e r i o u s h e a l t h p r o b l e m s . The E n v i r o n m e n t a l

P r o t e c t i o n A g e n c y ' s 1 9 8 2 s t u d y o f d r i n k i n g w a t e r t a k e n from ground w a t e r f o u n d

o r g a n i c c h e m i c a l s i n

2 9

p e r c e n t of t h e community w e l l s s a m p l e d . And f r o m Long

I s l a n d t o t h e San G a b r i e l V a l l e y i n C a l i f o r n i a , h u n d r e d s of m u n i c i p a l w e l l s

s e r v i g g m i l l i o n s of consumers h a v e b e e n c l o s e d b e c a u s e of t o x i c c h e m i c a l s

(Hopkins

,

1 9 8 3 ) .

As s u b s e q u e n t s e c t i o n s of t h i s r e p o r t d o c u m e n t , t h e r e a r e a p p r o x i m a t e l y

2 , 0 0 0 s i t e s t h r o u g h o u t N o r t h C a r o l i n a t h a t a r e o r may b e c o n t a m i n a t i n g o u r g r o u n d w a t e r . F e d e r a l , s t a t e and l o c a l government u n i t s w o r k i n g w i t h a c a d e m i c

r e s e a r c h e r s must i n c r e a s e t h e a t t e n t i o n t h e y p r o v i d e t o t h e s e p r o b l e m s i t e s .

W h i l e t h e c o n t a m i n a t i o n of s u r f a c e w a t e r s c r e a t e s many p r o b l e m , and much

n e e d s t o be done t o c l e a n u p s a n d / o r t o p r e v e n t t h e c o n t a m i f l a t i o n of s u r f a c e

w a t e r s , o u r ground w a t e r i s even more v u l n e r a b l e .

I n b o t h r e l a t i v e and a b s o l u t e t e r m s , t h e c o n t a m i n a t i o n of d r i n k i n g w a t e r s u p p l i e s b y t o x i c o r g a n i c c h e m i c a l s i s worse f o r g r o u n d w a t e r s u p p l i e s t h a n f o r s u r f a c e w a t e r s u p p l i e s

(CEQ, 1 9 8 1 ) .

\

Once t h e ground w a t e r r e s o u r c e of a n a r e a i s p o l l u t e d i t may be v i r t u a l l y

i m p o s s i b l e t o c l e a n i t up a g a i n ; o r i f i t

i s

p o s s i b l e , i t w i l l b e v e r y e x p e n s i v e and t a k e many y e a r s t o c o m p l e t e t h e d e c o n t a m i n a t i o n . T h i s

u n d e r s c o r e s t h e i m p o r t a n c e of p r e v e n t i n g t h e c o n t a m i n a t i o n of ground w a t e r i n

Contamination of an a r e a ' s w a t e r may have many f a r - r e a c h i n g human h e a l t h and economic i m p a c t s upon a community.

EPA has s a i d t h a t of t h e 418 u n c o n t r o l l e d hazardous waste s i t e s i n t h e n a t i o n t h a t need p r i o r i t y a t t e n t i o n , 374 pose d i r e c t t h r e a t s t o d r i n k i n g w a t e r s u p p l i e s and c o u l d c a u s e b i r t h d e f e c t s , c a n c e r , and o t h e r d i s e a s e s

(OTA,

1983).

I n a d d i t i o n t o t h e human s u f f e r i n g and economic c o s t s due t o t h e s e d i r e c t human h e a l t h consequences of d r i n k i n g c o n t a m i n a t e d w a t e r , North C a r o l i n a ' s eminent p o s i t i o n a s a s t a t e t o which t o u r i s t s f l o c k by t h e m i l l i o n s c o u l d b e j e o p a r d i z e d by t h e image of h a v i n g c o n t a m i n a t e d w a t e r .

An example drawn from

New

York S t a t e i l l u s t r a t e s t h i s p o i n t . N i a g a r a F a l l s , New York, h a s t r a d i t i o n a l l y a t t r a c t e d l a r g e numbers of t o u r i s t s , however, more r e c e n t l y , s i n c e t h e "Love Canal" s i t u a t i o n o c c u r r e d , a more s i n i s t e r v i s i o n of u n c o n t r o l l e d h a z a r d o u s w a s t e d i s p o s a l s i t e s e n d a n g e r i n g p u b l i c h e a l t h i s d r a s t i c a l l y a f f e c t i n g t o u r i s m .

T h i s new r e p u t a t i o n spawned i n l a r g e p a r t by t h e h i g h l y p u b l i c i z e d Love Canal i n c i d e n t has s i g n i f i c a n t l y overshadowed t h e more r o m a n t i c p e r c e p t i o n of t h e F a l l s , much t o t h e

d e t r i m e n t of t h e l o c a l t o u r i s t i n d u s t r y . . . This image of dangerous chemical dumps h a s been extended i n t h e p u b l i c mind t o be a s s o c i a t e d w i t h a l l of w e s t e r n New York. T h i s

e x t e n s i o n

i s

r e f l e c t e d f o r example by SUNY-Buffalo o f f i c i a l s who found p r o s p e c t i v e J a p a n e s e s t u d e n t s h e s 5 t a n t t o s t u d y i n B u f f a l o f o r f e a r of b e i n g exposed t o hazardous m a t e r i a l s

(Owen, 1982).

I f North C a r o l i n a

i s

t o a v o i d t h e economic consequences of s u c h n e g a t i v e p r e s s , work must b e done t o c l e a n up p r e s e n t l y e x i s t i n g s i t e s and t o p r e v e n t c o n t a m i n a t i o n from o t h e r s i t e s . The q u a l i t y of ground w a t e r , i n l a r g e p a r t , depends on t h e q u a l i t y of w a t e r p e r c o l a t i n g t h r o u g h t h e r e c h a r g e zone. Once p o l l u t e d , ground w a t e r c a n remain t a i n t e d f o r hundreds o r thousands of

y e a r s . R e c o g n i t i o n of t h i s f a c t s h o u l d prompt communities t o i n c o r p o r a t e ground w a t e r p r o t e c t i o n i n t o l a n d - u s e p l a n s . T h i s has been done by c i t i z e n g r o u p s i n Long I s l a n d , New York. (Greenberg, e t a l . , 1982). North C a r o l i n a s h o u l d do s o d s o .

d i f f i c u l t i e s i n d e t e c t i n g ground w a t e r c o n t a n i n a n t s s i n c e t h e y o c c u r o u t of

s i g h t , u n d e r g r o u n d . The p o l l u t i o n s o u r c e s a r e n o t e a s i l y o b s e r v e d , n o r a r e

c h e i r e f f e c t s s e e n u n t i l o f t e n i r r e v e r s i b l e damage h a s b e e n done. T h e r e a r e

no o b v i o u s i m m e d i a t e w a r n i n g s i g n a l s s u c h a s f i s h k i l l s , d i s c o l o r a t i o n o r

s t e n c h t h a t a r e o f t e n e a r l y i n d i c a r o r s of s u r f a c e w a t e r p o l l u t i o n . Where

c o n t a m i n a t i o n a f f e c t s pumping w e l l s , s u c h i n d i c a t o r s may o c c u r , a l t h o u g h many

commonly found c o n t a m i n a n t s a r e b o t h c o l o r l e s s and o d o r l e s s and o c c u r i n

c o n c e n t r a t i o n s t h a t may c a u s e l o n g - t e r m c h r o n i c e f f e c t s a f t e r i n g e s t i o n r a t h e r

t h a n a c u t e p o i s o n i n g . The t a n g i b l e e f f e c t s o f ground w a t e r c o n t a m i n a t i o n

u s u a l l y come t o l i g h t l o n g a f t e r t h e i n c i d e n t c a u s i n g t h e c o n t a m i n a t i o n h a s

o c c u r r e d . The l o n g t i m e l a g b e t w e e n o c c u r r e n c e s and d e t e c t i o n i s a m a j o r p r o b l e m , a s i r r e v e r s i b l e damage may o c c u r b e f o r e t h e i n c i d e n t i s d i s c o v e r e d

( P y e , 1 9 8 2 ) .

With t h e s e and many o t h e r p r e s e n t l y unanswered q u e s t i o n s i n mind, we h a v e

p e r f o r m e d t h i s s t u d y t o b r i n g t o g e t h e r i n one document i n f o r m a t i o n f r o m

e x i s t i n g d a t a b a s e s i n a number of d e p a r t m e n t s and a g e n c i e s i n s t a t e a n d l o c a l

g o v e r n m e n t s i n N o r t h C a r o l i n a . We hope t h e c o m p i l a t i o n of t h e s e d a t a w i l l h e l p t o i d e n t i f y p r e s e n t and p o t e n t i a l s i t e s of ground w a t e r c o n t a m i n a t i o n i n

N o r t h C a r o l i n a a n d w i l l h e l p c a t a l y z e t h e p e r f o r m a n c e of d e t a i l e d g r o u n d w a t e r

q u a l i t y s t u d i e s i n c r i t i c a l r e g i o n s . F u r t h e r , we s i n c e r e l y hope t h a t t h i s

s t u d y w i l l h e a p r e g u l a t o r y o f f i c i a l s , l e g i s l a t o r s and t h e p u b l i c t o s e e t h e

i m p o r t a n c e of p r ~ t e c t i n g o u r g r o u n d w a t e r r e s o u r c e .

I n a s s e m b l i n g t h i s i n f o r m a t i o n and i n p e r f o r m i n g t h i s s t u d y , we h a v e

e m p h a s i z e d g r a p h i c a l l y t h e g e o g r a p h i c r e l a t i o n s h i p between t h e l o c a t i o n s of

m u n i c i p a l w a t e r w e l l s and t h e s i t e s t h a t c o n t a i n ' t o x i c o r h a z a r d o u s m a t e r i a l s

t h a t may a l r e a d y have c o n t a m i n a t e d o r may p o t e n t i a l l y c o n t a m i n a t e t h e

m u n i c i p a l ground w a t e r r e s o u r c e s . I n many of t h e a p p r o x i m a t e l y 2,000 t o x i c s u b s t a n c e and h a z a r d o u s w a s t e s i t e s mapped, d e t a i l e d c h e m i c a l a n a l y s e s o f t h e

g r o u n d w a t e r h a v e n o t b e e n p e r f o r m e d t o t h e e x t e n t t h a t must be done i n t h e

f u t u r e . F u r t h e r , t h e a s s e s s m e n t of t h e r i s k f r o m e a c h s i t e must a d d r e s s t h e

n a t u r e of t h e c o n t a m i n a n t s , t h e pathway b e t w e e n t h e c o n t a m i n a n t s o u r c e a n d

w a t e r s u p p l y , t h e v e l o c i t y a n d d i r e c t i o n of g r o u n d w a t e r movement, and t h e

d i s p e r s i o n of c o n t a m i n a n t s i n

the

a q u i f e r ( J a c k s o n , 1 9 8 2 ) .

w a t e r c a n n o t b e s y s t e m a t i c a l l y p r o t e c t e d i n N o r t h C a r o l i n a by t h e D i v i s i o n of E n v i r o n m e n t a l Management (DEM) u n d e r s t a t e l a w u n t i l t h e grdund w a t e r s have

b e e n c l a s s i f i e d ( N R C D , 1 9 8 0 ) . " E s t a b l i s h i n g a means t o p r o t e c t t h e s t a t e ' s g r o u n d w a t e r i s a n e c e s s i t y . Having a g r o u n d w a t e r c l a s s i f i c a t i o n s y s t e m w i l l e n a b l e t h e Ground Water B r a n c h of DEM t o t a k e a more a c t i v e r o l e i n v a r i o u s

p e r m i t t i n g p r o c e s s e s . " ( N e l s o n , 1983). Now t h e s e o f f i c i a l s a r e a b l e t o r e s p o n d o n l y a f t e r c o n t a m i n a t i o n of t h e ground w a t e r h a s o c c u r r e d ; t h e i r

e a r l i e r i n v o l v e m e n t i n t h e p e r m i t t i n g p r o c e s s c o u l d e f f e c t i v e l y p r e v e n t o r

m i n i m i z e f u t u r e i n c i d e n c e s of ground w a t e r c o n t a m i n a t i o n . It

i s

e n c o u r a g i n g

t h a t N o r t h C a r o l i n a i s a d d r e s s i n g t h i s n e e d w i t h a p r o p o s a l f o r t h e d e v e l o p m e n t and i m p l e m e n t a t i o n o f a ground w a t e r c l a s s i f i c a t i o n s y s t e m .

W h i l e , t o d a t e , N o r t h C a r o l i n a h a s n o t documented l a r g e - s c a l e a q u i f e r

c o n t a m i n a t i o n a s h a s o c c u r r e d i n many o t h e r p a r t s of t h e w o r l d , t h e p o t e n t i a l

c e r t a i n l y e x i s t s f o r s u c h c o n t a m i n a t i o n . T h i s r e p o r t documents a number of

l o c a t i o n s w a r r a n t i n g prompt d e t a i l e d e v a l u a t i o n s . Looking t o t h e f u t u r e , w i t h

r i s i n g p o p u l a t i o n and a g g r e s s i v e i n d u s t r i a l r e c r u i t m e n t , t h e demands f o r and

t h e p o t e n t i a l i m p a c t s upon t h e ground w a t e r w i l l c e r t a i n l y i n c r e a s e . N o r t h C a r o l i n a h a s a n o p p o r t u n i t y a n d a n o b l i g a t i o n t o manage t h i s v u l n e r a b l e

SECTION ONE

North Carolina Munici~alities

De~endent

U ~ o n

Ground

Water

Towns and municipalities in North Carolina derive their water from an

array of sources, including:

a.

surface water from protected watersheds

b.

surface water from unprotected watersheds

c. ground water

This report addresses the North Carolina municipal populations dependent upon

groundwater

,

*

Approximately 260 North Carolina municipalities containing 477,000 people

withdraw 64,000,000 gallons of water from the ground each day (Table 1).

The

geographic distribution of these municipalities is presented in Figure

1.

Ground water is more frequently utilized for municipal purposes in the eastern

and central parts of the state than in the western part; however, with only a

few exceptions, every county contains towns and municipalities dependent on

ground water.

It should be remembered that in addition to the municipal populations

served by ground water, essentially the entire rural population is dependent

upon ground water withdrawn by their private wells. This fact should be kept

in mind as we address, in the following sections of this report, an array of

sites throughout North Carolina that may be contaminating the ground water

resource.

In some instances the municipal supplies may be threatened by

substances that have already rendered private wells unusable. Therefore, in

any monitoring efforts that are done, water from private wells can serve as a

ready source of ground water samples for preliminary assessment of the nature

and extent of contaminant migration from the site of a surface impoundment, a

landfill, a spill or a leak from an underground storage facility or from

buried pipes. Obviously, additional monitoring wells will be needed, but

analyses performed on water from private and municipal wells can be an

important starting point.

*A

companion study addressing the North Carolina populations deriving their

water from unprotected surface waters is being performed by Drs. DiGiano and

Turner at UNC Chapel

Rill.

T a b l e 1

N o r t h C a r o l i na Mun I c i pa l i t I es Dependent Upon ~ r o ; n d Water, P o p u l a t i o n s Served and Q u a n t i t i e s of Water U t l i l i z e d I n

M l l l l o n s o f Gal I o n s P e r Day (MGD)

Y

COUNN GROUND WATER

MUNlClPALlTY POPULATION WITHDRAWAL

(MGD)

ALAMANCE None

ALEXANDER

Beth I ehem

,*

.042

ALLEGHANY

S p a r t a 1687 .080

ANSON

L l l e s v i l l e 588 .040

P o l k t o n 762 .040

ASHE

J e f f e r s o n 1086 .095

Lans l ng 194 .007

W. J e f f e r s o n 822 .I30

AVERY

Banner E l k 1087 .I00

C r o s s n o r e 297 .060

E l k P a r k 53 5 .030

New l and 722 .I00

P l n e o l a

-

.005

BEAUFORT

Aurora 698 .085

B a t h 207 .045

Be 1 haven 2430 .300

ChocowlniYy 644 ,045

Washington 8418 .I75

BERT I E

Au i ander 1214 .I15

C o l e r a l n 284 .028

Ke 1 f o r d 254 .022

R o w e I I s v i I I e 320 .031

Rox be l 27 8 .024 Wl n d s o r 2126 .I30

Woodvl l i e

-

.055

COUNTY GROUND WATER

MUNICIPALITY POPULATION WITHDRAWAL (MGD)

BLADEN

B l adenboro 1428 .I00

C 1 a r k t o n 664 .I00

E l I z a b e t h t o w n 3551 .ZOO

Wh l t e Lake 9 68 .lo0

BRUNSW I CK

Bol l v l a 252 .I00

Ft. C a s w e i l Seasonal .080

Long Beach 1844 .200

Ocean I s l e Beach 143 .500

Sha l l o t t e 680 .I00

S o u t h p o r t 2824 .250

Sunset Beach 304 .015

BUNCOMBE

B a r r a d s v i l l e

-

B l a c k Min. 4083 .200

R l d g e c r e s t

-

,300

Weaverv i l l e 1495 ,100

BURKE

C h e s t e r f i e l d

-

,100

Oak H I I I

-

.225

CABARRUS

H a r r i s b u r g 1433 .095

CALDWELL

Oak H I I I

-

,225

CALDWELL

Warr I o r

-

.050

CAMDEN

South Mi l I s 1929 .055

CARTERET

A t l e n t i c Beach 941 .350

Beau f o r t 3826 ,300

H a r k e r s I s l a n d 1901 .215

I n d i a n Beach 36 ,045

Morehead C i t y 4359 _.638

* d a t a n o t a v a i l a b l e

COUNTY MUNICIPALITY

GROUND WATER POPULATION WITHDRAWAL

(%Dl

COUNTY

MUNICIPALITY POPULATION

GROUND WATER WITHDRAWAL

( MGD ) CARTERET

Newport Otway P i n e K n o l l

Shores S a l t e r p a t h

CUMBERLAND

Hope M i l I s 5412

S p r i n g Lake 6273

CURR I TUCK None

CASWELL

Mi l t o n DARE

Cape H a t t e r a s C o r p o r a t i o n

Avon

-

Buxton

-

-

F r i s c o

-

CATAWBA

Conover Newton

DARE

Dare County System

Duck

-

K I I 1 Devi I

H i l l 1796

K i t t y Hawk 849

CHATHAM Moncure

CHEROKEE ~ e x a " a

Manteo 902

-

Nags Head 1020

CHDWAN Edenton

S o u t h e r n Shores 395

CLAY

Hayesvi 1 l e DAV 1 DSON

none

CLEVELAND

DAV i E nohe B o i l i n g S p r i n g s 2381 .I50

G r o v e r 597 .O6O

Stubbs

-

.I00

DUPL l N B e u l a v i i l e Calypso C h i n q u a p i n Fa i son Kenansv i I 1 e Magnol l a Rose H i l l Teachey Wa i l a c e COLUMBUS

Brunsw i c k 22 3 _.050 Chad bourn 1975 _,100

F a i r B l u f f 1095 .080

Lake Waccamaw 1133 _.090

Tabor C i t y 2710 .200

W h l t e v l i l e 5565 _.220

CRAVEN

C h e r r y P o i n t

-

1 .OOO

Cove Cl t y 500 .310

Dover 600 .055

H a v e l o c k 17,718 _.37O

James C i t y 2953 .lo2

New Bern 14,557 3.130

Vanceboro 833 _.070

Warsaw

DURHAM

Parkwood 3420

EDGECOMBE

B a t t I e b o r o 323

Conetoe 215

P l n e t o p s 1465

Speed 9 5

Wh l t a k e r s 492 ,- p o p u l a t i o n s s e r v e d f r a same ground

COUNTY WOUND WATER MUNICIPALITY POPULATION WITHDRAWAL

(MGD

COUNTY MUNICIPALITY

GROUND WATER POPULATION 4887 645 15 1 3007 825

-

3630

-

1098

-

410 179 280 2792 4091

-

1433 4762 877 318 25,234 3147

-

644

-

WITHDRAWAL ( MGD

FORSYTH

R u r a l H a l I 1336 .090 Walkertown

-

.095

HERTFORD Ahoskle Cof i e l d H a r r e l l s v i l l e M u r f r e e s b o r o W I n t o n FRANKL l N

Y o u n g s v i l l e 486 .010

GASTON None

HOKE

Lumber B r l dge R a e f o r d GATES

G a t e s v i l l e 363 _HYDE

Eng l ehard Swan Q u a r t e r GRAHAM .

None

l REDELL

Cool S p r i n g s Harmony GRANV l LLE

None

GREENE

H o o k e r t o n 460 Snow H i l l 1347 Wa l s t o n b u r g 181

JACK SON D l I I s b o r o Webster

JOHNSTON Benson C l ay t o n Ken l y Selma GU l LFORD

G i b s o n v i l l e 2865

HAL l FAX

Enf l e l d 2995 H a l l t a x 253 Hobgood 483 L i tt l e+on 820 S c o t l a n d Neck 2834

JONES Maysvl I l e P o l l o c k s v i l l e

-

LEN0 l R Deep Run K I n g s t o n LaGrange N o r t h L e n o i r

Water Assoc. P i n k Hi I I HARNETT

Ang I e r 1709 Coats 1385

HAYWCQD None

HENDERSON Etowah

L l NCOLN Denver

COUNTY GROUND WATER MUNICIPALITY POPULATION WITHDRAWAL

MAD 1 SON None

MART l N

Ham 1 l t o n 638 .050

J a m e s v i l i e 604 .050

Oak C i t y 47 5 ,043

R o b e r s o n v i l l e 1981 .600

W i l l i a m s t o n 6159 .900

MCDOWE LL

Old F o r t 752 _.300

MECKLENBURG None

MI TCHELL

B a k e r s v i l l e 373 .050

MONTGOMERY NONE

MOORE

Cameron _{22 5 .050} Jackson S p r i n g s 232 .I00

P i n e b l u f f 935 ,400

S o u t h e r n P i n e s 8620 -300

W h i s p e r i n g

P i nes 1160 .500

NASH

B a l l e y 68 5 _.020

M i d d l e s e x 8 37 _.095

Nashvi I l e 2678 _.I70

S p r i n g Hope 254 _{a 4 8 0}

NEW HANOVER

C a r o l i n a Beach 2000 .750

K u r e Beach 61 1 .080

\

NORTHAMPTON

Conway 678 _.I50

Gaston 883 _.O8O

Jackson 720 _.080

R i c h Square 1057 _,100

Sea b o a r d 68 7 _.067

Severn 309 _.070

COUNTY MUNlClPALlrY

ONSLOW

H o l l y R i d g e J a c k s o n v i l l e R i c h lands Swansboro Sneads F e r r y

ORANGE None

PAML 1

co

Bay b o r o O r l e n t a l

PASQUOTANK E l i z a b e t h

C i t y

PERQUIMANS H e r t f o r d

PENDER Burgaw Pender 1 ea S u r f C i t y T o p s a i l Beach

PERSON L o n g h u r s t

PITT Ayden B e t h e l B l a c k Jack Bruce Farmvi I l e Founta I n Greenvl I l e G r i f t o n Grimeslend

POLK None

RANDOLPH L i b e r t y Seagrove

GROUND WATER P-OPULAT I ON W I THDRAwAL

( MGD )

.I00 3.000

.zoo

COUNTY

MUNICIPALIlY POPULAT 1 ON

R I CHMOND

Cordova

-

E l l e r b e 1415

ROBESON

Fa l rmont 2685 Lumber B r i d g e 171 Maxton

Pembroke Red Springs Row land

S t . Pauls

ROCKINGHAM S t o n e v l l l e

ROWAN

China Grove C l eve 1 and F a i t h Rockwel l

RUTHERFORD Bost i c Carol een E l lenboro Lake Lure

. -

SAMPSON CI i n t o n El i i o t t Garland Newton Grove Roseboro Sa 1 emburg

SCOTLAND G i bson Laur I nburg

\ STANLY

Oakboro

STOKES Dan bury Walnut Grove

SURRY Dobson

GROUND WATER WITHDRAWAL

(MGD)

.280 .I80

.3 10 1.250 ,600 .500 .600 .200 ,300 .070 .200 .062 .030 .I85 .030 .050 .O6O .I20 1.50 .I50 .200 .200 .200 .I00 1.750 .050 .050 -090 .250 COUNTY MUNICIPALITY

SWA l N Cherokee

TRANSYLVANIA Rosman

TYRELL Columbia

UN 1 ON None

VANCE K l t t r e l I

WAKE

Fuquay Var l na Garner

R o l e s v l l l e Wendel l

WARREN L l t t le t o n Nor l I na

WASHINGTON Creswel I Plymouth Westover WATAUGA Foscoe WAYNE Best Emory Eureka Fremont Go I ds boro Mount O l i v e P l k e s v l l l e Sau l s t o n Seven S p r i n g s

W l LKES Oakwoods

GROUND WATER POPULATION WITHDRAWAL

SECTION

TWO

North Carolina's Top Seventy Priority Ground Water Pollution Sites

In early

1983

environmental specialists within each of the seven NRCD

regional field offices were asked to identify the ten most important sites of

confirmed or potential ground water contamination. The specialists responded

by submitting brief descriptions of their regions' top ten sites ranked in

order of importance.

The decisions involving selection and prioritization of sites were made

solely by the field personnel based on observation and study of the respective

sites. Since prioritization was an individual process for different people,

the determinization of "importance of sites" could have included various

parameters such as the severity of present confirmed pollution; suspicion of

present unconfirmed pollution; likelihood of potential contamination or need

for immediate attention.

Although this material is not standardized, and the type of information

submitted varies from region to region, it is an important data base since it

originates from the regional offices with individuals having direct day-to-day

knowledge of ground water problems in their regions.

. -

Descriptions of the top ten priority sites for each of the seven regions

are listed in Table 2.

A

careful reading of the descriptions

sites reveals that substantial ground water contamination has

occurring or is suspected of occurring. It is instructive to

of

types

and

sources of contaminants. In some cases remedial

necessary and has been implemented. In many other instances,

and extent of the contamination are not known, and additional

needed.

i

of these

70

occurred, is

note the array

action is

the exact nature

studies are

The geographic locations of each of the

70

priority sites is depicted in

Figure

2.

The municipalities dependent upon ground water are also shown.

Region

5

in the Coastal Plain, in Brunswick and New Hanover counties, has a

clustering of priority sites and a significant number of municipalities

reliant upon ground water. Based upon the hydrology of the region, the

c o n t a m i n a t i o n a l r e a d y r e l e a s e d , i t seems t o u s t h a t t h i s r e g i o n ' s d r i n k i n g w a t e r s h o u l d b e a n a l y z e d on a r e g u l a r b a s i s . A n a l y s e s s h o u l d i n c l u d e t o x i c

o r g a n i c s s u c h a s p e s t i c i d e s , s o l v e n t s and i n o r g a n i c s u b s t a n c e s . A d d i t i o n a l l y , t h e d r i n k i n g w a t e r f r o m m u n i c i p a l i t i e s and f r o m p r i v a t e w e l l s i n c l o s e

p r o x i m i t y t o o t h e r p r i o r i t y s i t e s t h r o u g h o u t t h e s t a t e s h o u l d b e a n a l y z e d on a p e r i o d i c b a s i s ,

T a b l e 2 . D e s c r i p t i o n of N o r t h C a r o l i n a ' s Top S e v e n t y P r i o r i t y Ground Water P o l l u t i o n S i t e s

-

Ten From Each of t h e Seven NRCD Regions

R e e i o n I : A s h e v i l l e

1. S i t e I d e n t i f i c a t i o n : C h e m t r o n i c s , 1nc.--Buncombe County

C h e m t r o n i c s i s l o c a t e d i n Swannanoa. The company m a n u f a c t u r e s o r h a s

m a n u f a c t u r e d p y r o t e c h n i c s , e x p l o s i v e s , r o c k e t f u e l , t e a r g a s , e t c . T h e r e a r e s e v e n abandoned w a s t e a c i d s and o r g a n i c s p i t s on t h e p r o p e r t y a s w e l l as a p r e t r e a t m e n t f a c i l i t y . They a r e b e i n g m o n i t o r e d by e i g h t m o n i t o r w e l l s . Ground w a t e r p o l l u t i o n h a s b e e n v e r i f i e d w i t h o r g a n i c c h e m i c a l s and h e a v y m e t a l s b e i n g d e t e c t e d .

2 , S i t e I d e n t i f i c a t i o n : B e n f i e l d Chemical Co.--Haywood County

B e n f i e l d Chemical Co. i s l o c a t e d i n Hazelwood. The company s p e c i a l i z e d i n p r o c e s s i n g s o l v e n t s and p a i n t s . S o i l s a m p l e s on t h e p r o p e r t y i n d i c a t e d h e a v y c o n t a m i n a t i o n by o r g a n i c c h e m i c a l s . The b u i l d i n g h a s s i n c e b u r n e d b u t

c h e m i c a l s r e m a i n i n t h e s o i l .

3 . S i t e I d e n t i f i c a t i o n : O l i n C o r p o r a t i o n - - T r a n s y l v a n i a County

O l i n C o r p o r a t i o n i s l o c a t e d i n P i s g a h F o r e s t . The company makes f i n e p a p e r and c e l l o p h a n e , The a r e a of c o n c e r n i s a 78 a c r e , u n l i n e d , a e r a t e d

s t a b i l i z a t i o n b a s i n . No m o n i t o r w e l l s a r e a t t h e f a c i l i t y .

4 . S i t e I d e n t i f i c a t i o n : Champion I n t e r n a t i o n a l Corp.--Haywood County Champion I n t e r n a t i o n a l Corp. i s l o c a t e d i n Canton. It h a s t h r e e i n d u s t r i a l s l u d g e d i s p o s a l l a n d f i l l s . Ground w a t e r p o l l u t i o n h a s b e e n v e r i f i e d by moni t o r we1

l

s

.

5. S i t e I d e n t i f i c a t i o n : Buncombe County S a n i t a r y Landfill--Buncombe County Buncombe County S a n i t a r y L a n d f i l l i s l o c a t e d o f f NC 191 n e a r Woodfin.

L e a c h a t e s a m p l i n g v e r i f i e s g r o u n d w a t e r p o l l u t i o n .

6. S i t e I d e n t i f i c a t i o n : F i b e r I n d u s t r i e s , 1nc.--Cleveland County

F i b e r I n d u s t r i e s i s l o c a t e d o f f NC 198 n e a r E a r l . The w a s t e g e n e r a t e d

i s

f r o m t h e m a n u f a c t u r e of p o l y e s t e r and blow down w a t e r f r o m t h e b o i l e r c l e a n i n g p r o c e s s , which c o n t a i n s chromium. The a r e a of c o n c e r n i s t h e l a n d a p p l i c a t i o n o f s l u d g e o n 2 1 a c r e s a n d t h e u n l i n e d t r e a t m e n t b a s i n s . M o n i t o r w e l l s a r e l o c a t e d on t h e s i t e , b u t i n s u f f i c i e n t i n f o r m a t i o n i s a v a i l a b l e t o v e r i f y a n y p o s s i b l e p o l l u t i o n .

7 . S i t e I d e n t i f i c a t i o n : Old F o r t F i n i s h i n g C o , , 1nc.--McDowell County

Old F o r t F i n i s h i n g

i s

l o c a t e d o f f 1-40 a t Old F o r t . The a r e a of c o n c e r n i s a 2.5 m i l l i o n g a l l o n e q u a l i z a t i o n b a s i n and a 200 X 450 f o o t a e r a t i o n b a s i n . B o t h a r e u n l i n e d .

* I n f o r m a t i o n f o r t h i s t a b l e was e x t r a c t e d d i r e c t l y f r o m NRCD R e g i o n a l o f f i c e r e p o r t s .

8. Site Identification: Cranston Print Works, 1nc.--Henderson County

Cranston print works is located off U.S. 25 in Fletcher. Abandoned waste

disposal wells on the property were used to dispose of a waste containing a

high chromium content. Some pollution has been verified by monitor wells.

9. Site Identification: General Electric, 1nc.--Henderson County

General Electric is located in Flat Rock. Waste generated is from a metal-

finishing process. Industrial sludge is applied on the property and there are

unlined treatment lagoons on the property. There are monitor wells on the

site.

10.

Site Identification: American Enka--Buncombe County

American Enka is located off U.S. 19-23 at Enka. Waste is generated from the

manufacture of synthetic fibers. The area of concern is an unlined

equalization basin and lagoon.

Renion 2

:

Wins

ton-Salem

1.

Site Identification: Sprague Electric Co.--Ashe County

Sprague Electric Company is located off NC 194 near Lansing. Lagoons receive

electroplating waste water containing aluminum, copper, nickel. There is no

confirmation of contamination, just highly suspect.

2. Site Identification: Dupont Chemical Company--Davidson County

Dupont is located off NC

8

at Healing Springs. Industrial chemicals are

manufactured. Spills and accidents are the main concern. Spray irrigation of

.

boiler and cooling tower blow down also pose serious problems.

3. Site Identification: Thaden Metals Company--Guilford County

Thaden Metals is located off US 29A-70A i'n Jarnestown in Guilford County. The

area of concern is a metal-plating waste lagoon, with contamination of ground

water found

in

monitor well. Lagoon drained and filled.

4.

Site Identification: Worth Chemical Corp.--Guilford County

Worth Chemical is located off Segal Blvd. in Greensboro in Guilford County.

Lagoon of chemical container wash-down earthen construction, no liner. No

confirmation of ground water contamination.

5.

Site Identification: Old High Point Landfill--Guilford County

6 . S i t e I d e n t i f i c a t i o n : W a t t s R e t r e a t Farm--Wilkes County

Watts R e t r e a t Farm l o c a t e d o f f SR 1300 n e a r P u r l e a r c o n t a i n s -a low l e v e l r a d i o a c t i v e w a s t e b u r i a l s i t e . No ground w a t e r c o n t a m i n a t i o n was d e t e c t e d a s of 2 / 1 / 8 2 .

7. S i t e I d e n t i f i c a t i o n : A b i t i b i Corp.--Wilkes County

A b i t i b i Corp.

i s

l o c a t e d o f f NC 268 n e a r R o a r i n g R i v e r . Lagoons and s l u d g e s p r e a d i n g . Wood p r o c e s s i n g and a d h e s i v e w a s t e s . No c o n t a m i n a t i o n d e t e c t e d . 8. S i t e i d e n t i f i c a t i o n : W i l l i a m S m i t h ' s Bog P a r l o r Waste Lagoon--Randolph County

W i l l i a m S m i t h ' s Hog P a r l o r Waste Lagoon i s l o c a t e d o f f SR 2459 n e a r L i b e r t y . Animal w a s t e l a g o o n dug c l o s e t o b e d r o c k i n v o l c a n i c r o c k . S u s p e c t t h i n c l a y c o v e r a t b o t t o m of l a g o o n . P o t e n t i a l t o l e a k i n t o ground w a t e r r e s o u r c e s . 9. S i t e I d e n t i f i c a t i o n : B i l l ' s T r u c k S t o p (Sunoco G a s o l i n e S p i l l ) - - D a v i d s o n County

B i l l ' s T r u c k S t o p i s l o c a t e d b e s i d e 1-85 n e a r Linwood. Loss of 1 4 0 , 0 0 0 t o 1 5 0 , 0 0 0 g a l l o n s of g a s o l i n e o c c u r r e d i n 1976-1977. Recovery was i n i t i a t e d u n d e r N a r k u n a s ' d i r e c t i o n .

10. S i t e I d e n t i f i c a t i o n : iU1 s e r v i c e s t a t i o n s , t h r o u g h o u t t h e r e g i o n A l l s e r v i c e s t a t i o n s , p a r t i c u l a r l y t h o s e w i t h u n d e r g r o u n d m e t a l t a n k s . D i s c o v e r y of l e a k a g e f r o m f u e l s t o r a g e t a n k s i n t o ground w a t e r r e s o u r c e s i s i n c r e a s i n g .

There

i s p o t e n t i a l f o r a s e v e r e s i t u a t i o n t h r o u g h o u t t h e r e g i o n .

Region

3:

R a l e i g h

1 . S i t e I d e n t i f i c a t i o n : L a n d f i l l , C i t y of Durham on SR 1637

T h i s l a n d f i l l may be i n t h e ground w a t e r , a n d l e a c h a t e from t h i s l a n d f i l l e i t h e r i s o r w i l l e v e n t u a l l y e n t e r E l l e r b e C r e e k . I h a v e c a l c u l a t e d t h e s i t e t o b e a h i g h l y s e n s i t i v e s i t e and h a v e no i n f o r m a t i o n t o i n d i c a t e t h a t

p o l l u t a n t s are not i n t h e ground water and the s t r e a m .

2. S i t e I d e n t i f i c a t i o n : L a n d f i l l , C i t y o f Durham o n SR 1669

T h i s l a n d f i l l i s of c o n c e r n f o r t h e same r e a s o n s l i s t e d i n "1" above b u t i s a b o u t 1 , 0 0 0 f e e t from E l l e r b e Creek i n s t e a d of r i g h t on t h e c r e e k .

i

3. S i t e I d e n t i f i c a t i o n : L a n d f i l l , C i t y of Durham on SR 1671

4 . S i t e I d e n t i f i c a t i o n : Chemical S p i l l ,

IBM

i n Durham County

T h i s s p i l l p r o b a b l y c o v e r s o n e s q u a r e m i l e t o a d e p t h of 300 f e e t and i s a c o n c e r n b e c a u s e n e a r l y a y e a r went by b e f o r e we were n o t i f i e d w h i l e s e v e r a l h u n d r e d w e l l s were c o n s t r u c t d t o m o n i t o r f o r t o x i c s u b s t a n c e s i n t h e ground w a t e r . At p r e s e n t I do n o t know t h e l e v e l s of f r e o n i n t h e ground w a t e r of

t h e a r e a and n e i t h e r do p e o p l e u s i n g t h e w a t e r .

5 , S i t e I d e n t i f i c a t i o n : G a s o l i n e T e r m i n a l Exxon i n J o h n s t o n County

T h i s i s of c o n c e r n b e c a u s e we know t h a t s p i l l s h a v e o c c u r r e d and e n t e r e d t h e e n v i r o n m e n t and t h e w a t e r s of t h e s t a t e b u t we do n o t know how ~ u c h may be i n t h e g r o u n d w a t e r t h a t may show up i n w e l l s i n t h e f u t u r e .

6 . S i t e I d e n t i f i c a t i o n : L a n d f i l l , Lee County on 4 2 1 N

T h i s i s of p r i m a r y c o n c e r n f o r s e v e r a l r e a s o n s . P r i m a r i l y t h e s i t e i s h i g h l y s u s c e p t i b l e t o p o l l u t a n t s e n t e r i n g t h e g r o u n d w a t e r and s e c o n d l y t h e o p e r a t i o n of t h e dump a t t h i s s i t e i n t h e p a s t h a s n o t b e e n v e r y w e l l h a n d l e d .

7 . S i t e I d e n t i f i c a t i o n : L a n d f i l l , Rocky Mount o f f 1544

T h i s i s of c o n c e r n b e c a u s e t h e r e i s a f a i r l y good c h a n c e t h a t p o l l u t a n t s a r e i n d i r e c t c o n t a c t w i t h t h e ground w a t e r and w i l l e v e n t u a l l y show up b o t h i n w e l l s a n d t h e Tar R i v e r .

8. S i t e I d e n t i f i c a t i o n : L a n d f i l l , Orange County a t Eubanks

.

T h i s

i s

of c o n c e r n b e c a u s e b o t h sewage s l u d g e and r e f u s e h a v e b e e n p u t i n d i r e c t c o n t a c t w i t h f r a c t u r e d w e a t h e r e d r o c k , a l l o w i n g no f i l t r a t i o n b e f o r e l e a c h a t ? r e a c h e s t h e w a t e r t a b l e .

9. S i t e I d e n t i f i c a t i o n : L a n d f i l l , R o l a n d s L a n d f i l l ( a t Gresham's Lake i n Wake Co .)

T h i s i s of prime c o n c e r n b e c a u s e more t h a n j u s t s o l i d s s u c h a s stumps a r e . i n t r o d u c e d t o t h e ground w a t e r of t h e s i t e . Empty drums w i t h r e s i d u e of', no one knows w h a t , a r e a l s o p u t i n t h i s l a n d f i l l .

1 0 . S i t e I d e n t i f i c a t i o n : L a n d f i l l , Northampton County

This

i s of c o n c e r n b e c a u s e t h e r e f u s e i s p r o b a b l y i n c o n t a c t w i t h t h e g r o u n d w a t e r and w i l l e v e n t u a l l y p o l l u t e t h e w a t e r a r o u n d t h e s i t e ,

R e i i o n 4 : Washington

2. S i t e I d e n t i f i c a t i o n : L a n d f i l l , C h e r r y P o i n t Marine Corps Air S t a t i o n , Craven County

S i n c e t h e e s t a b l i s h m e n t of t h e a i r s t a t i o n d u r i n g

WW

11, w a s t e p r o d u c t s , r e s u l t i n g from t h e o p e r a t i o n , m a i n t e n a n c e and r e f u r b i s h i n g of m i l i t a r y

a i r c r a f t , h a v e b e e n l a n d f i l l e d i n a s i t e a d j a c e n t t o Slocum C r e e k . While no q u a n t i t a t i v e d a t a a r e y e t a v a i l a b l e , a s t u d y by t h e M a r i n e C o r p s , t h e USGS and t h e

DEM

i s

underway t o d e t e r m i n e t h e n a t u r e and e x t e n t of t h e p o l l u t i o n .

Q u a l i t a t i v e l y i t i s assumed t h a t o r g a n i c s o l v e n t s , p a i n t w a s t e s , metal- t r e a t i n g w a s t e s , f o u n d r y w a s t e s and p e t r o l e u m p r o d u c t s h a v e b e e n d i s p o s e d of i n t h e s i t e .

3.

S i t e I d e n t i f i c a t i o n : L a n d f i l l , VOA S i t e , B e l l A r t h u r , P i t t County

A s t h e r e s u l t of a f i r e i n J u n e of 1971, which d e s t r o y e d a w a r e h o u s e owned by t h e R o y s t e r Company a t F a r m v i l l e , 1 0 0 , 0 0 0 g a l l o n s of w a t e r used i n f i g h t i n g t h e f i r e , d e b r i s f r o m t h e w a r e h o u s e and i t s c o n t e n t s , and t h e u p p e r s i x i n c h e s of s o i l f r o m t h e a r e a a r o u n d t h e warehouse were l a n d f i l l e d on s i t e a t t h e V o i c e of America f a c i l i t y n e a r B e l l A r t h u r . The w a t e r was t r e a t e d t o d e s t r o y t h e o r g a n o p h o s p h a t e p e s t i c i d e s i t c o n t a i n e d , b u t t h e c h l o r i n a t e d h y d r o c a r b o n p e s t i c i d e s r e m a i n e d . T h e r e f o r e , t h e w a t e r and d e b r i s d i s p o s e d of i n t h e

l a n d f i l l c e l l s c o n t a i n a n u n d e t e r m i n e d amount of c o n t a m i n a t i o n . M o n i t o r w e l l s a r o u n d t h e p e r i m e t e r of t h e c e l l s a r e sampled on an a n n u a l b a s i s , and t o d a t e , no c h l o r i n a t e d h y d r o c a r b o n p e s t i c i d e s have b e e n d e t e c t e d .

4. S i t e I d e n t i f i c a t i o n : L a n d f i l l , A l l e n Road S i t e , G r e e n v i l l e , P i t t County

As a r e s u l t of a f i r e w h i c h d e s t r o y e d a warehouse a t t h e C o a s t a l Chemical Company n e a r G r e e n v i l l e i n F e b r u a r y 1 9 7 9 , b u i l d i n g d e b r i s , c h e m i c a l

c o n t a i n e r s , f i r e - d a m a g e d p e s t i c i d e s and p e s t i c i d e - c o n t a m i n a t e d f e r t i l i z e r w e r e l a n d f i l l e d i n a c e l l a t P i t t C o u n t y ' s A l l e n Road S o l i d Waste L a n d f i l l .

C a u s t i c s o d a and l i m e were l a y e r e d w i t h i n t h e c e l l and w i t h i n t h e l o a d s o f d e b r i s t r a n s p o r t e d t o t h e s i t e i n o r d e r t o d e s t r o y t h e p e s t i c i d e s . M o n i t o r i n g of s u r f a c e and ground w a t e r c o n d i t i o n s a t t h e l a n d f i l l i s b e i n g c o n d u c t e d by t h e s o l i d and h a z a r d o u s w a s t e b r a n c h o f

DHR and E a s t C a r o l i n a U n i v e r s i t y .

5. S i t e I d e n t i f i c a t i o n : b e e c r e e k Mine, A u r o r a , B e a u f o r t County

Texas Gulf ( T G ) I n c o r p o r a t e d ' s Lee C r e e k Mine, l o c a t e d o n t h e s o u t h s h o r e of t h e P a m l i c o R i v e r n e a r A u r o r a , h a s e x p e r i e n c e d a number of o i l and a c i d s p i l l s s i n c e , b e g i n n i n g o p e r a t i o n s i n t h e mid 6 0 s . TG h a s s t o r e d m i l l i o n s of t o n s of a c i d c o n t a m i n a t e d gypsum, a b y p r o d u c t of n i t r i c a c i d p r o d u c t i o n , o n - s i t e a n d h a s l o c a t e d , on a two-square-mile s i t e b e t w e e n S o u t h and Bonds C r e e k s ,

"slimes" ponds c o n t a i n i n g amino a c i d - c o n t a m i n a t e d c l a y s f r o m t h e i r o r e - b e n e f i c a t i o n p l a n t . While t h e r e i s some ground w a t e r c o n t a m i n a t i o n , t h e

g r e a t e s t t h r e a t i s t o s u r f a c e w a t e r s of t h e P a m l i c o R i v e r and i t s t r i b u t a r i e s . 6. S i t e I d e n t i f i c a t i o n : Encee Chemical Company, B r i d g e t o n , Craven County L o c a t e d on US-17 a t i t s j u n c t i o n w i t h t h e N o r f o l k and S o u t h e r n R a i l r o a d i n B r i d g e t o n , Encee Chemical Company i s a r e p a c k a g i n g f a c i l i t y . They buy

i n d u s t r i a l c h e m i c a l s i n t a n k e r and c a r l o a d l o t s and r e p a c k a g e them f o r s a l e .