Powersville Site

Overview

The Powersville Site covers 15 acres in Peach County, Georgia, near the intersection of Georgia Highway 49 and Newell Road. It was used as a sand and fill borrow area from the 1940s to 1969, then operated as a sanitary landfill accepting municipal and industrial waste until 1979. EPA added it to the National Priorities List (NPL) in 1984 because of contaminated soil and groundwater.

EPA identified 16 contaminants of concern in soil and groundwater at the site. These include 1,2-dichloroethane, vinyl chloride, chromium, lead, chlordane, dieldrin, lindane, toxaphene, and alpha-hexachlorocyclohexane, among others. EPA determined each poses an unacceptable risk based on the amounts present and the potential health effects from exposure.

EPA issued a cleanup plan in 1987 covering Operable Unit 1. The plan called for installing a landfill cover with a gas venting system, adding groundwater monitoring wells, connecting nearby homes to the public water supply, and putting land-use restrictions in place. The two potentially responsible parties, Canadyne-Georgia Corporation and Peach County, carried out the work from 1991 to 1993. Peach County continues to maintain the landfill cover through regular mowing and clearing. Groundwater monitoring takes place every five years to check for new releases and confirm the cover system is working.

Human exposure to contaminants is under control, and contaminated groundwater is stable with no unacceptable discharge to surface water. All cleanup goals for current and anticipated future land uses have been met, and all required land-use controls are in place. EPA removed the site from the NPL on November 1, 2010. The most recent five-year review was completed on July 18, 2023, with the next one estimated for July through September 2028. Note that one source cites the most recent five-year review as published in 2018, while another cites July 18, 2023.

Community members who want to stay involved can attend public meetings, read public notices, or speak directly with EPA staff. Records related to the site are available at the Thomas Public Library in Fort Valley, Georgia, at 315 Martin Luther King Jr. Drive. The Community Involvement Coordinator and Remedial Project Manager can answer specific questions about the site.