Vancouver Water Station #1 Contamination

Overview

Vancouver Water Station #1 sits inside Waterworks Park in Vancouver, Washington. The station supplies drinking water to about 230,000 people in the area. The City of Vancouver discovered tetrachloroethylene, also called PCE or perchloroethylene, in the station's water in 1988. PCE is a chemical that can harm the nervous system, liver, and kidneys, and may increase cancer risk. It was found in groundwater at the site.

PCE levels rose significantly in 1991 and 1992, and the city responded by installing five air stripping towers. Air stripping works by passing air through the water, which causes the contaminant to evaporate out. The city began treating water this way in 1993. EPA added the site to the National Priorities List (NPL) in May 1994 and issued a final cleanup plan in September 1998. That plan required continued operation of the treatment system and ongoing monitoring. EPA never confirmed the original source of the PCE contamination, but the City of Vancouver pursued responsible parties through legal settlements.

Air stripping has effectively removed PCE from the drinking water supply, reducing levels to undetectable amounts. PCE in untreated groundwater has also fallen below federal and state drinking water standards. Groundwater migration is stabilized, with no unacceptable discharge to surface water. EPA signed a Final Close Out Report on April 27, 2017, confirming all Superfund actions were complete. The site was deleted from the NPL on February 6, 2018. No waste remains at levels that would restrict land use or require special exposure precautions, so no further Five-Year Reviews are needed.

Today, the land around the wells and treatment system is a forested park with a gazebo, picnic shelter, and skate park. The City of Vancouver continues to use the station as part of its public drinking water supply, which remains regulated under the Safe Drinking Water Act. The site achieved status as ready for anticipated reuse on September 28, 2012, and all cleanup goals for current and future land uses have been met.

Community members with questions can contact the EPA's Remedial Project Manager. Community involvement support is also available through the EPA Community Involvement Coordinator. Public records related to the site are available at the City of Vancouver Water Resources Education Center at 4600 SE Columbia Way, open weekdays 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. and Saturdays noon to 5 p.m., and at the EPA Region 10 Superfund Record Center in Seattle, reachable at (206) 553-4494.