U.S. Titanium

Overview

The U.S. Titanium site sits in Piney River, Nelson County, Virginia. It operated as a titanium dioxide manufacturing plant from 1931 to 1971. Waste left behind from those operations includes ferrous sulfate and heavy metals. The site was added to the National Priorities List in 1983 and is managed by EPA Region 3.

The main contaminants are aluminum, arsenic, cadmium, calcium carbonate, chromium, copper, iron, nickel, sulfate, and zinc. These have been found in groundwater, surface water, soil, and solid waste across the site. The acidity of discharges increases how easily metals dissolve into water, which has harmed aquatic life. Six major fish kills in nearby rivers between 1977 and 1981 killed more than 200,000 fish. No residential wells have been contaminated, and municipal wells sit upstream of the site, so drinking water exposure is considered a minor threat.

Cleanup began in 1994 under a consent decree with EPA and the Commonwealth of Virginia. Work included excavating and neutralizing about 67,000 cubic yards of contaminated soil, stabilizing slopes, covering waste areas, and installing a groundwater collection system that pumps treated water to the Piney River. Construction of the remedy was finished in 1997. An asbestos removal action ran from April 2020 to September 2022. Institutional controls are in place, including zoning restrictions that prevent residential development and prohibit drinking water wells on site. Long-term operation and maintenance activities have been ongoing since 1996.

The 2025 Five-Year Review found the remedy is protective of human health and the environment in the short term. However, low pH levels continue to be detected in monitoring wells and surface water beyond the collection system, and ecological assessment indicates that low pH and metals may be affecting wildlife in site drainages. EPA plans to conduct updated human health and ecological risk assessments to determine whether additional cleanup is needed for long-term protectiveness. The site has not yet been deleted from the National Priorities List.

People hiking the nearby Virginia Blue Ridge Railway Trail, especially near the Route 151 entrance, may notice discolored, brownish water in drainage ditches. That water has a pH of around 3.5, making it moderately acidic. EPA advises hikers and their pets to stay on the trail and avoid contact with the water. EPA has distributed community postcards through the Nelson County Parks and Recreation Department to spread this message. Residents can also access fact sheets, community postcards, and five-year review documents through EPA resources. The Administrative Record is available for public review at Nelson County Memorial Library in Lovingston, Virginia, and at EPA Region 3's office in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Appointments are recommended before visiting in person.