Havertown PCP

Overview

National Wood Preservers ran a wood treatment facility on this 12-acre site in Haverford, Pennsylvania from 1947 to 1991. The company disposed of liquid waste in a well and spilled materials on the surface, contaminating groundwater, nearby Naylor's Run stream, and soil with pentachlorophenol (PCP), arsenic, dioxins, volatile organic compounds (VOCs), and petroleum hydrocarbons. EPA placed the site on the National Priorities List (NPL) in September 1983. The site is divided into three operable units (OUs), each targeting specific areas and types of contamination.

EPA and cleanup crews have completed several major actions over the years. A synthetic geomembrane cap was installed over 3 acres of contaminated soil in 1997. A groundwater treatment plant became fully operational in 2001 and was redesigned in 2009 to handle 70 gallons per minute. In early 2010, crews excavated roughly 3,000 cubic yards of contaminated soil from a recreation area, restored stream banks, and repaired nearby residential yards. Several businesses now operate on the site, including a YMCA that opened in October 2013. As of December 2024, four on-site businesses employed 229 people and generated about $10.9 million in annual sales.

More work was needed after residents near Rittenhouse Circle reported flooding and wet basements in 2018 and 2019. Sampling found site contaminants in soil and sump water at most tested properties, exceeding EPA cleanup standards. Response actions ran from November 2019 through late 2021, covering soil excavation at four properties, waterproofing of nine crawl spaces, and installation of groundwater collection sumps and a trench. A new groundwater treatment plant is now under construction and scheduled for completion in summer 2026. EPA's 2025 five-year review found the remedy protective in the short term but said long-term protection depends on finishing the residential response work and expanding the groundwater treatment plant.

EPA identified over 200 chemicals as contaminants of concern at the site. They include VOCs such as benzene and trichloroethene, heavy metals including arsenic and lead, polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons, polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs), dioxins, and pesticides such as dieldrin. These contaminants appear in groundwater, soil, sediment, surface water, and air across the site's operable units. No known users of groundwater exist within one mile of the site, and nearby residents rely on public water. Institutional controls remain in place to prevent exposure to contaminated groundwater and protect the soil cap.

Community members can stay involved through EPA's Community Involvement Plan, which outlines how EPA will share information and include the public in decisions throughout the cleanup process. Fact sheets and presentations are available to keep residents informed. The site's administrative records can be reviewed online or in person at the Haverford Township Free Library in Havertown or at EPA Region 3 in Philadelphia, with an appointment required for the EPA office.