Georgetown North Groundwater

Overview

Georgetown North Groundwater is a Superfund site in Georgetown, Delaware, listed on the National Priorities List on September 9, 2022. Two former dry cleaners in the area likely contributed to soil and groundwater contamination involving tetrachloroethylene, or PCE, a common dry-cleaning solvent. PCE and its breakdown products have affected two of the city's three public drinking water wells and one industrial well, with levels exceeding state and federal safety limits.

Delaware first flagged the contamination in 1985 after the city reported contaminants in untreated water. EPA conducted a Preliminary Assessment in 2015 and a Site Inspection starting in 2019. An Expanded Site Inspection completed in 2021 confirmed that volatile organic compounds, a broad class of chemicals that includes PCE, continued to affect public water supplies. Those findings led EPA to propose the site for the NPL in March 2022 and formally list it that September.

The city installed an air stripper water treatment system in May 2020. Treated water now meets Safe Drinking Water Act standards. A remedial investigation began on February 14, 2023, as part of a combined remedial investigation and feasibility study. That study will map the full extent of groundwater contamination and identify cleanup options. No cleanup remedy has been selected yet, and physical construction of a permanent cleanup has not started. EPA also collects soil gas and air samples at selected properties to check whether chemical vapors from contaminated groundwater are entering buildings, a process called vapor intrusion.

Regarding human exposure, EPA currently lists the status as insufficient data, meaning response work has not yet produced enough information to draw a firm conclusion. Groundwater migration control is also listed as insufficient data for the same reason. The site is not yet ready for its anticipated use.

Community members can get involved by contacting EPA staff directly. EPA is developing a Community Involvement Plan and is seeking residents willing to participate in interviews to help shape that plan. Fact sheets and presentation materials are available in both English and Spanish. Site records can be reviewed at the Georgetown Public Library in Georgetown, Delaware, or at the EPA Region 3 office in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, with appointments made by calling ahead.