Cabo Rojo Ground Water Contamination

Overview

The Cabo Rojo Ground Water Contamination site sits in Cabo Rojo, Puerto Rico. It centers on three source areas: a closed dry cleaning business, an active print shop, and a nearby industrial park. Chlorinated solvents from these facilities spread into soil and groundwater, forming two contaminated plumes. The site was added to the National Priorities List in March 2011, and a detailed investigation confirmed the full extent of contamination in 2018.

Six chemicals of concern have been identified at the site. They are 1,1-dichloroethene, chloroethene (also called vinyl chloride), cis-1,2-dichloroethene, tetrachloroethene, and trichloroethene. These chemicals were detected in groundwater, soil gas, and soil. Between 2002 and 2011, routine sampling of the local public water supply found some of these chlorinated chemicals, though levels stayed below federal safety limits.

EPA selected a cleanup plan in May 2019. The approach combines soil vapor extraction, air sparging, in-situ bioremediation, pump-and-treat systems, and monitored natural attenuation. Foundation cracks will be sealed to reduce vapor intrusion indoors. Groundwater, soil gas, and indoor air will all be monitored over time. If contamination worsens in key areas, EPA may add more groundwater treatment. Institutional controls will restrict land use at contaminated areas. Active remedial work began in March 2024 and is expected to continue through late 2026, with long-term response actions starting around the same time.

Human exposure at the site is currently under control, meaning no unacceptable exposure pathways have been found. Groundwater migration, however, is not yet under control. Contaminated groundwater is still moving and has not been fully stabilized. Construction is not complete, and cleanup goals have not been met across the entire site.

Community members can review site documents at the Blanca E. Colberg Public Library in Cabo Rojo, at EPA offices in New York and Guaynabo, or at the Puerto Rico Environmental Quality Board in San Juan. A community update was issued in September 2023 in both English and Spanish. For questions, residents can contact the EPA's Community Involvement Coordinator or Remedial Project Manager.