Watson Johnson Landfill

Overview

Watson Johnson Landfill covers 56 acres in Richland Township, Bucks County, Pennsylvania. A 32-acre landfill on the property accepted industrial and municipal wastes from the late 1950s through the early 1970s. EPA added the site to the Superfund National Priorities List in September 2001. The site is also known as the American Olean Tile Co Quakerstown Plant.

The landfill contaminated soil, sediment, and groundwater with volatile organic compounds (VOCs). Specific contaminants include metals such as arsenic, lead, mercury, and manganese, along with organic chemicals including trichloroethene, tetrachloroethene, vinyl chloride, and cis-1,2-dichloroethene. Benzo(a)pyrene was found in soil. EPA also identified per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) in groundwater as a separate area of concern, now addressed under its own operable unit.

EPA extended the public water main in March 2006 to replace up to 35 residential drinking water wells affected by VOC contamination. No private drinking water wells are currently in the area of groundwater contamination. Between 2017 and 2019, EPA constructed a multi-layer landfill cap with a drainage system to prevent direct contact with landfill waste. All waste outside the landfill was either removed or placed beneath the cap. Groundwater treatment using in-situ chemical oxidation began in early 2017. Landfill construction was finished in March 2019, and groundwater remedial action concluded in December 2022. A long-term response action has been ongoing since February 2022. Pennsylvania state authorities took over operation and maintenance of the landfill area in October 2020. For PFAS contamination, a combined remedial investigation and feasibility study is estimated to begin between September and November 2025, and a removal action that started in November 2024 is estimated to finish between November 2025 and January 2026.

The most recent five-year review found the site protective of human health and the environment in the short term. Institutional controls are in place to restrict residential development and prevent use of contaminated groundwater. The site has not yet achieved sitewide ready-for-anticipated-reuse status. Note that one source states the most recent five-year review was completed in May 2021, while another states it was completed in May 2026. Both claims appear in the source materials.

Community members can get involved by contacting EPA directly. Records are available at the James A. Michener Library in Quakertown, PA, or at EPA Region 3 in Philadelphia. An appointment is needed before visiting either location.