Vestal Water Supply Well 1-1

Overview

Vestal Water Supply Well 1-1 is a Superfund site on the southern bank of the Susquehanna River in Vestal, New York. It was added to the National Priorities List in September 1983 after chlorinated solvents were found in the well following a 1978 chemical spill at a nearby IBM plant in Endicott. The well had served several drinking water districts in the Vestal area before being taken out of service in 1980. An industrial park sits immediately to the southeast of the well.

EPA has identified 32 contaminants of concern across two main media. Groundwater contains 1,1,1-trichloroethane, 1,1-dichloroethane, trichloroethene, and trans-1,2-dichloroethene. Soil contains a broader mix, including tetrachloroethene, various dichloroethene isomers, benzene, toluene, xylene, chromium, copper, polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs), polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), and phthalates.

Groundwater treatment using air stripping, which brings groundwater and air into contact to remove volatile organic compounds, has been running since 1991. When the original well lost water pressure, EPA built a replacement well in 1993 to keep the system going. New York State took over operation and maintenance of the groundwater system in October 2006. In the soil areas of the industrial park, vapor extraction systems removed roughly 1,046 pounds of volatile organic compounds from one area before meeting cleanup goals in 2000, and about 2,300 pounds from another area before being shut down in 2006. Because contamination persisted in those areas, EPA selected thermal treatment, which uses high heat to treat soil, as the next step. A remedial action for soils started in June 2022 and is estimated to finish between September and November 2028. Human exposure is under control, and contaminated groundwater migration has been stabilized with no unacceptable discharge to surface water. Physical construction is complete across the entire site, though the site has not yet been deleted from the National Priorities List. One business currently operates on-site, employing 17 people and generating about $2,282,000 in annual sales.

The most recent five-year review was completed on July 31, 2023. These reviews confirm that cleanup actions continue to protect people's health and the environment. The next review is estimated for July through September 2028. Community members can get involved through EPA's Community Involvement Program. For questions, residents can contact the Community Involvement Coordinator or the Remedial Project Manager. Site records are available for public review at the Vestal Public Library in Vestal, New York, and at EPA's Superfund Records Center in New York City.