North Belmont PCE

Overview

Two dry-cleaning businesses operated at this 0.75-acre shopping center property in Gaston County from 1960 to 1975. Improper disposal of solvents left soil and groundwater contaminated with PCE (perchloroethylene, also called tetrachloroethene) and related compounds. The EPA added the site to the National Priorities List in July 1999. A new remedial investigation and feasibility study began in September 2022 and is expected to finish between March and May 2027, with a Record of Decision Amendment expected around the same time.

Fourteen contaminants have been identified at the site. Groundwater contains volatile organic compounds including tetrachloroethene, trichloroethene, chloroform, and various dichloroethene compounds, along with chloromethane, heptachlor epoxide, lead, and bis(2-ethylhexyl)phthalate. Soil contains polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons including benzo(a)anthracene, benzo(a)pyrene, dibenzo(a,h)anthracene, and indeno(1,2,3-cd)pyrene. All contaminants fall within one operable unit addressed by EPA cleanup actions.

In 1991, contamination was found in 16 residential drinking water wells, including one serving an elementary school. Cleanup actions included installing an in-well vapor stripping system and connecting affected homes, schools, and businesses to the public water supply. By 2000, the elementary school and 29 residential wells were on public water. The treatment system was completed in 2004 and has been in continuous operation since March 2020 after refurbishment. Treated groundwater is discharged to an on-site tributary through a line built in 2014. Human exposure is currently under control and groundwater migration is stabilized. The most recent five-year review was completed in September 2024. A note from the 2019 review stated that EPA could not confirm protectiveness without additional data and planned to gather that data by 2022. The site has not yet been deleted from the National Priorities List.

Community members can stay involved through public notices, meetings, and interviews that EPA conducts to share updates on cleanup progress. Site records are available at the Gaston County Public Library, Belmont Branch, at 111 Central Avenue in Belmont, North Carolina. Residents with questions can contact the Community Involvement Coordinator or the Remedial Project Manager.