MW Manufacturing

Overview

MW Manufacturing operated as a metal wire reclamation facility in Valley Township, Montour County, Pennsylvania from 1966 to 1972. Chemical and mechanical processes at the facility, along with improper waste disposal, contaminated soil, groundwater, sediment, and surface water. The site was added to the EPA's Superfund National Priorities List (NPL) on June 10, 1986, and has not yet been deleted from that list.

More than 80 chemicals have been identified as contaminants of concern across the site. These include chlorinated solvents such as tetrachloroethene and trichloroethene, metals including lead, copper, chromium, and arsenic, polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs), the pesticide dieldrin, and various petroleum-related compounds. Contamination was found in soil, groundwater, solid waste, liquid waste, and sediment. The contamination posed health risks through ingestion, inhalation, and skin contact, and threatened fish in nearby Mauses Creek.

The site is divided into six operable units (OUs), each targeting a specific type of contamination or area. Key cleanup actions include excavation and offsite incineration of fluff waste, groundwater extraction and treatment, and solidification and stabilization of contaminated material. A public water line installed in summer 1996 now serves 39 residences and 13 commercial establishments, removing the need for residents to use contaminated groundwater. A groundwater treatment system began operating in January 2005, with treated water discharged to Mauses Creek. Physical construction of the cleanup was completed in September 2005, and the site achieved sitewide ready-for-anticipated-reuse status in December 2006.

The EPA has completed multiple five-year reviews of the cleanup. The most recent review was completed in August 2020, which found the remedy protective in the short term but noted that more efficient groundwater treatment methods need evaluation. A note of conflict exists in the source material: one section states the most recent five-year review was completed in August 2020, while another states it was completed in August 2025. Both dates appear in the source documents. The EPA has determined that human exposure is currently under control across the entire site and that groundwater migration is stabilized. Institutional controls, including zoning restrictions that prevent residential development, are in place to limit future land and groundwater use.

Community members who want to learn more or share input can contact the EPA's Community Involvement Coordinator or Remedial Project Manager. The Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection, Pennsylvania Department of Health, and the Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry are also available as points of contact. Site documents can be viewed online or in person at the EPA Region 3 office in Philadelphia by calling (215) 814-2396 to schedule an appointment.