Berks Sand Pit

Overview

The Berks Sand Pit is a 4-acre site in Longswamp Township, Pennsylvania, where industrial wastes were dumped in a sand pit, contaminating the local groundwater. EPA added it to the National Priorities List in 1984. The site sits beneath residential and wooded land, and about 100 residents in the area rely on private wells for drinking water.

The main contaminants are chlorinated organic chemicals found in groundwater, surface water, and sediment. Groundwater contains 1,1,1-trichloroethane, 1,1-dichloroethene, 1,2-dichloroethane, vinyl chloride, tetrachloroethene, and mixed trichloroethane isomers. Surface water and sediment contain 1,1-dichloroethane and 1,1,1-trichloroethane. These chemicals are linked to industrial and manufacturing activities, though the original source of disposal was never identified.

Cleanup started with a groundwater pump-and-treat system that ran from March 1993 through July 2011. It treated over 435 million gallons of contaminated groundwater and cut the plume by about 90 percent. After a lightning strike damaged the treatment plant in 2011, the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection (PADEP) tested biological and chemical injection methods. Starting in December 2012, PADEP injected soybean-based amendments, iron, and bacteria into the ground to break down the contamination. In January 2021, EPA formally updated the cleanup plan to rely on these in-situ methods instead of the pump-and-treat system. PADEP is currently conducting well redevelopment, groundwater injections, groundwater sampling, and residential well sampling under a Superfund State Contract.

The contaminants no longer affect nearby residential wells. EPA has determined that human exposure is under control and groundwater migration is stabilized, with no unacceptable discharge to surface water. Institutional controls are in place, including zoning restrictions that prevent residential development on contaminated parcels. Any well permit request on a flagged parcel triggers notification to EPA and PADEP. The most recent five-year review, completed in July 2021, found the cleanup protective of human health and the environment. The next review is scheduled for 2026.

Community members can get involved through EPA's Community Involvement Program. For questions or to provide input ahead of the 2026 five-year review, contact the EPA's Community Involvement Coordinator. The site's records are available online through EPA's Administrative Record system and in person at the Brandywine Community Library in Topton, Pennsylvania, or at EPA's Region 3 office in Philadelphia, where appointments are recommended.