Shenandoah Road Ground Water Contamination

Overview

The Shenandoah Road Ground Water Contamination site sits in East Fishkill, New York, in Dutchess County. It was added to the National Priorities List on June 14, 2001. A former commercial facility at 7 East Hook Cross Road used PCE solvent to clean microchip holders from the late 1960s through the mid-1970s, then discharged waste solvent into a septic system. EPA later found multiple disposal areas, including a buried acid pit. The site targets contamination across a single main operable unit covering the entire property.

Three contaminants affect groundwater at the site: tetrachloroethene (PCE), trichloroethene (TCE), and cis-1,2-dichloroethene. PCE is a potential human carcinogen, and detected levels indicated an immediate threat to public health. Sixty residential drinking water wells were affected. These volatile organic compounds are common industrial solvents that can break down into related compounds, which is why all three appear at the site.

EPA and IBM, the identified potentially responsible party, have carried out several cleanup actions. EPA delivered bottled water and installed point-of-entry treatment systems on affected wells. Between 2000 and 2002, about 10,100 tons of contaminated soil were excavated and sent off-site. In 2004, the Town of Fishkill's municipal water supply replaced the treatment systems as the permanent drinking water source for residents. A groundwater extraction and treatment system using four wells and granulated activated carbon tanks started operating in March 2012. EPA also installed vapor mitigation systems at four properties in 2009. IBM designed and installed the permanent water distribution system and continues to operate and maintain the extraction system.

Physical construction is complete across the entire site, and the site has achieved sitewide ready for anticipated reuse status as of December 2018. Human exposure is under control, and groundwater migration has been stabilized with no unacceptable discharge to surface water. Long-term monitoring and operation and maintenance activities are ongoing. The next five-year review is estimated between September and November 2028. The site has not yet been deleted from the National Priorities List.

Community members who want to stay informed or ask questions can contact the EPA directly. Site records are available at the EPA Superfund Records Center at 290 Broadway, 18th floor, in New York, New York, or at the East Fishkill Community Library at 80 Route 376 in Hopewell Junction, New York. The library can be reached at (845) 221-9943.