Haviland Complex

Overview

Haviland Complex covers 275 acres in Hyde Park, New York, and includes an apartment complex, schools, a shopping center, and private homes. Failed septic and sewage systems from a nearby laundromat and car wash contaminated groundwater with volatile organic compounds, or VOCs, in the early 1980s. The New York State Department of Health discovered the problem in 1982, and EPA added the site to the National Priorities List in June 1986.

EPA identified seven contaminants of concern at the site. Five metals, cadmium, chromium, lead, mercury, and the solvent chlorobenzene, were found in sediment. Three VOCs, chlorobenzene, tetrachloroethene, and trichloroethene, contaminated groundwater. All contaminants are located within Operable Unit 01.

EPA's early cleanup steps included installing carbon filters in affected homes and connecting residents to a public water supply. In 1990, EPA removed contaminated materials from the septic disposal systems, which were the main pollution source. By 1996, contamination levels had dropped to near or below drinking water standards, and EPA determined that groundwater treatment and the alternate water supply were no longer needed. A 1997 amended cleanup plan shifted to monitored natural attenuation, letting remaining contamination break down naturally while being tracked over time. In summer 2000, the county extended public water service to all affected residents. EPA transferred site oversight to the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation, with NYSDEC taking over management of cleanup actions by June 2012. Ongoing groundwater monitoring shows contamination levels near acceptable drinking water standards, and testing in summer 2018 found no detections of emerging contaminants.

The site achieved sitewide ready for anticipated reuse status in July 2017. EPA completed its Fifth Five-Year Review in April 2022, confirming the cleanup remains protective. The site was deleted from the National Priorities List on August 16, 2023, meaning it no longer poses unacceptable risks under current and reasonably anticipated future use. NYSDEC continues to oversee the site going forward, and EPA will no longer conduct five-year reviews now that the site is deleted. As of December 2024, 13 businesses on the site employed 124 people and generated about $1.9 million in annual sales.

Community members can review site records at Hyde Park Town Hall in Hyde Park, New York, or at the EPA Region 2 Superfund Records Center at 290 Broadway, 18th Floor, New York City. To schedule a visit to the records center, call (212) 637-4308.