Lodi Municipal Well

Overview

Lodi Municipal Well is a former drinking water source in Lodi, New Jersey. The Borough operated 11 bedrock wells from 1923 until all were closed by 1987 after sampling revealed volatile organic compounds (VOCs) and radioactive contamination in the groundwater. The EPA added the site to the Superfund National Priorities List in August 1990 to investigate the extent of that contamination.

Testing conducted from 1991 to 1993 found that radionuclide contamination in the Home Place Well was naturally occurring. Federal law limits remedial action for naturally occurring substances in their unaltered form. EPA also found that concentrations of non-radiological compounds in the groundwater did not pose unacceptable risk to human health or the environment. Based on those findings, EPA signed a Record of Decision on September 27, 1993, selecting "No Action" as the remedy. That means no physical cleanup work was required.

The Borough secured alternate water supplies after closing the wells. Today, roughly 95 percent of Lodi's drinking water comes from the Passaic Valley Water Commission, with the remainder supplied by the Hackensack Water Company. Human exposure at the site is considered under control, with no unacceptable exposure pathways identified. The site was deleted from the National Priorities List on December 29, 1998.

The site has not yet achieved sitewide ready-for-anticipated-use status, meaning some cleanup goals or required land-use controls are not fully in place. Redevelopment may still be possible on portions of the site, and the EPA's Superfund Redevelopment Program offers guidance to communities pursuing reuse. Site documents, including the 1993 Record of Decision and 36 associated administrative records, are available for review at the EPA's Superfund Records Center at 290 Broadway in New York or at the Lodi Memorial Library at 1 Memorial Drive in Lodi.

Community members with questions can contact the EPA's Community Involvement Coordinator or the Remedial Project Manager.