Kentucky Avenue Well Field

Overview

The Kentucky Avenue Well Field is a federal Superfund site in Horseheads, New York. TCE (trichloroethylene), an industrial solvent, was found in the wellfield's groundwater in May 1980. The wellfield had supplied about 10 percent of the local Elmira Water Board's drinking water before it was shut down in September 1980. The site was added to the National Priorities List in 1983 and is divided into four operable units covering the public water supply area, a broader source investigation and groundwater zone, the Westinghouse Electric Corporation facility, and Koppers Pond.

More than 70 chemicals have been identified across the site. Groundwater holds volatile organic compounds like TCE, trichloroethane, dichloroethene variants, vinyl chloride, and chloroform, plus metals including arsenic, lead, cadmium, chromium, and nickel. Soils and sediments at the Westinghouse facility contain PCBs (polychlorinated biphenyls), polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons, pesticides such as dieldrin and heptachlor epoxide, and solvents. Koppers Pond sediments contain cadmium and PCBs.

Cleanup has moved through several phases. Between 1985 and 1996, the EPA provided bottled water to 25 residences and connected 95 homes to the public water system after their private wells were closed. Two groundwater treatment plants were installed to contain contamination. At the Westinghouse facility, contaminated soils were excavated, soil vapor extraction was completed in 2000, and PCB-contaminated sediments in an industrial drainageway were removed between 2002 and 2003. The Koppers Pond cleanup, the most recent phase, wrapped up construction in December 2020 and included wetlands restoration, sediment capping, and onsite consolidation of contaminated material. Sitewide construction was completed in September 2021.

Human exposure is currently under control, with no unacceptable exposure pathways identified. Groundwater migration is also under control, and EPA has confirmed no unacceptable discharge to surface water. The site achieved readiness for anticipated reuse in September 2022, meaning all cleanup goals for current and expected future land uses have been met and required land-use controls are in place. Three businesses now operate at the site, employing 301 people and generating about $39.3 million in annual sales. A five-year review was completed in June 2025, and groundwater monitoring continues. The site has not yet been deleted from the National Priorities List.

Community members can review site documents in person at the Horseheads Town Hall Town Clerk Office at 150 Wygant Road, open Monday through Friday from 8 AM to 4 PM, or at the EPA Region II Superfund Records Center at 290 Broadway, 18th Floor, New York, NY. The Community Involvement Coordinator and Remedial Project Manager assigned to the site handle site inquiries.