Fibers Public Supply Wells

Overview

The Fibers Public Supply Wells site covers 540 acres in Jobos, Puerto Rico and includes a former synthetic fibers manufacturing plant, five public water supply wells, and a pharmaceutical facility. EPA placed the site on the National Priorities List (NPL) in 1984. The site reached "sitewide ready for anticipated reuse" status in 2019 and has not yet been deleted from the NPL.

The site has 16 contaminants of concern in soil and groundwater. Volatile organic compounds (VOCs) include trichloroethene, tetrachloroethene, vinyl chloride, carbon tetrachloride, chloroform, cis-1,2-dichloroethene, trans-1,2-dichloroethene, 1,1,2,2-tetrachloroethane, and trichlorofluoromethane. Metals found at the site include cadmium, chromium, lead, nickel, and vanadium. Asbestos and polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) are also present. Fiber manufacturing operations caused the soil and groundwater contamination, and the U.S. Geological Survey detected contamination in four of the five public supply wells in 1982, leading to their closure.

EPA selected a cleanup remedy in 1991. It called for pumping and treating groundwater with air stripping, excavating asbestos-containing material, and discharging treated water to an irrigation canal. Between November 1993 and January 1994, potentially responsible parties removed and disposed of 7,950 tons of asbestos-containing material at an authorized landfill in Puerto Rico. The groundwater treatment system started in June 1999, and all remedy components were in place by that year. Currently, treated water is being discharged to a temporary core ditch while EPA works with state agencies and potentially responsible parties to identify a permanent disposal option.

Human exposure is under control, with no unsafe exposure pathways identified. Groundwater migration is also under control, meaning contaminated groundwater is stabilized and there is no unacceptable discharge to surface water. Physical construction of the cleanup is complete across the entire site. EPA completed its most recent five-year review in April 2024. Long-term groundwater monitoring and operation and maintenance activities remain ongoing. A solar photovoltaic power project of 100 megawatts is moving forward on a Puerto Rico Industrial Development Company property within the site, with construction expected to begin before the end of 2024.

Community members who want to stay informed or ask questions can contact the EPA's Community Involvement Coordinator or the Remedial Project Manager. Public records related to the site are available at the EPA Region 2 Record Center in New York City and at the EPA Caribbean Environmental Protection Division office in Guaynabo, Puerto Rico.