The Peach Orchard Road PCE Ground Water Plume site covers 350 acres in Augusta, Georgia. Four former dry cleaning facilities contaminated groundwater beneath a City of Augusta Utilities well field. The EPA added the site to the National Priorities List in 2005. Residential and commercial activity continues at the site, and several nearby schools have not been affected by the contamination.
Tetrachloroethene, commonly abbreviated PCE, is the main contaminant. It was found in soil and groundwater in the site's one operable unit. The EPA first selected a cleanup remedy in 2007, updated it with a major amendment in 2013, and made further modifications in 2021. Cleanup methods have included soil vapor extraction, in-situ chemical oxidation, enhanced anaerobic biodegradation injections, excavation, and off-site disposal. The EPA also discovered subsurface methane gas at one former dry cleaner location in 2017 and has monitored it since.
Cleanup construction wrapped up in 2013, with active remedial work continuing through 2017. Long-term response actions began in 2014 and are still ongoing. Groundwater treatment has reduced contaminant levels. A 2023 Vapor Intrusion Assessment found two soil gas samples with potentially unacceptable risk, though no indoor or ambient air samples exceeded EPA action levels. A mitigation system was installed under a former dry cleaner building in 2024. The EPA plans additional monitoring and treatment injections in early 2025. The site has not yet achieved full anticipated reuse, meaning cleanup goals or land-use restrictions must still remain in place.
Human exposure is currently under control. All affected public water supply wells have been closed, and a local ordinance bans private wells in the contaminated area. The EPA is still assessing potential vapor intrusion risks in buildings. Institutional controls, including zoning restrictions, limit land uses that could expose people to remaining contamination. Site records are available for public review at Maxwell Library in Augusta.
Community members can stay involved by reviewing documents, attending public meetings, and reading fact sheets and public notices issued during the cleanup process. The EPA conducts community involvement activities throughout the process. The most recent Five-Year Review was completed in September 2023, with the next review estimated between September and November 2028. The site has received funding through the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law to support cleanup work. For questions, residents can contact the Community Involvement Coordinator or the Remedial Project Manager.
