Rockaway Township Wells

Overview

Rockaway Township Wells is a Superfund site in Rockaway Township, New Jersey, covering roughly two square miles. Three municipal wells became contaminated with volatile organic compounds (VOCs) in 1979 and 1980. Nearby gasoline stations, freight and transit facilities, and industrial properties were the sources. The township declared a water emergency in October 1980 and installed treatment systems. EPA added the site to the National Priorities List (NPL) in September 1983, and remedial work began in 1986.

Contaminants found in groundwater include trichloroethene, tetrachloroethene, benzene, toluene, chloroform, and several other chlorinated compounds, along with metals such as arsenic, lead, antimony, and manganese. Soils and soil gas contain trichloroethene, tetrachloroethene, cis-1,2-dichloroethene, and other chlorinated volatiles. The site is organized into two main cleanup units: one for groundwater and one for soils.

Cleanup has moved through several stages. A 1993 decision selected groundwater extraction and treatment using air stripping and reinjection. A 2002 decision addressed soil contamination at the nearby Denville Technical Park using soil vapor extraction (SVE). Construction of both systems finished in June 2005. Vapor intrusion into buildings was found during 2010 sampling, and sub-slab depressurization systems were installed in two buildings starting that July. The site currently runs three groundwater extraction wells and an SVE system with 10 wells. Monthly and quarterly sampling tracks performance, and annual inspections check the depressurization systems. As of 2021, six of seven suction fans were replaced to keep systems working properly. In 2022, institutional controls were added to both the groundwater and soils cleanup units.

Human exposure is under control, and groundwater migration is stabilized with no unacceptable discharge to surface water. Physical construction is complete across the full site, and the site reached sitewide readiness for anticipated reuse in October 2023. The most recent five-year review was completed on May 28, 2025. Operation and maintenance of the groundwater system continues under state oversight, and the site has not yet been deleted from the NPL. The site now hosts the Denville Technical Park, an industrial complex with tenants ranging from food manufacturing to pharmaceutical research.

Community members can review documents at the Superfund Records Center at 290 Broadway, 18th floor, New York, NY 10007, by appointment, or at the Rockaway Township Public Library at 61 Mount Hope Road, Rockaway Township, NJ 07866. For questions, contact the Community Involvement Coordinator or the Remedial Project Manager.