Aberdeen Contaminated Ground Water

Overview

The Aberdeen Contaminated Ground Water site covers 1.3 square miles of groundwater east of U.S. Highway 1 in Aberdeen, Moore County, North Carolina. The contamination is linked to Powder Metals Products, which made machine parts at the 26.8-acre facility from 1980 to 1995. The EPA added the site to the Superfund National Priorities List in September 2008 and has worked alongside the North Carolina Department of Environment and Natural Resources on investigation and cleanup.

Ten contaminants have been identified in groundwater at the site. They include trichloroethene (TCE), chloromethane, chromium, nickel, dieldrin, endrin ketone, and four forms of hexachlorocyclohexane, including lindane. People could be exposed by ingesting or touching contaminated water. The EPA found that vapor intrusion from the groundwater does not pose a threat to buildings. However, human exposure is currently not under control, and the contaminated groundwater plume has not been contained to its original area.

Cleanup is divided into two parts. The first part, Operable Unit 1, focused on replacing two Town of Aberdeen water supply wells that were taken out of service due to elevated TCE levels, well number 5 in 2012 and well number 9 in 2015. The North Carolina Department of Transportation agreed to fund the new wells starting in 2018. Remedial action ran from June 2018 through September 2022, and long-term monitoring is now ongoing. The second part, Operable Unit 2, will address the broader groundwater plume. That plume has mixed with a separate pesticide plume from the nearby Geigy Chemical Corporation Superfund site, so any treatment system must handle both sets of contaminants. A combined remedial investigation and feasibility study for Operable Unit 2 is scheduled to begin in August 2025, with a final cleanup decision expected between August and October 2028.

Community members can stay informed through EPA fact sheets, public notices, and public meetings. Site records are available for review at Aberdeen Town Hall, located at 115 North Poplar Street. Two EPA staff members are available to answer questions directly.