Lusher Street Ground Water Contamination

Overview

The Lusher Street Ground Water Contamination site covers about 870 acres in Elkhart, Indiana. It was added to the National Priorities List in March 2008. The site contains an underground plume of groundwater polluted with volatile organic compounds, or VOCs. The four specific contaminants of concern are 1,1-dichloroethane, chloroform, tetrachloroethene, and trichloroethene. Trichloroethene was found in both soil gas and groundwater, while the other three were detected in soil gas. The original contamination sources have not been fully identified, and EPA continues to look for them.

EPA split the cleanup into two operable units. Operable Unit 1 targets the most immediate risks to people living near the contaminated groundwater. A Record of Decision issued September 16, 2014 selected four cleanup actions for this unit: connecting roughly 49 properties to city water, installing vapor mitigation systems in up to 198 homes and buildings, adding other vapor intrusion safeguards, and putting institutional controls in place. A group of responsible companies is carrying out that work. Remedial action for this unit started July 18, 2017 and is expected to run through mid-to-late 2027. Operation and maintenance began December 15, 2023 and is expected to continue through early 2028. Operable Unit 2 is earlier in the process. A combined remedial investigation and feasibility study began September 19, 2023, and a proposed cleanup plan is estimated for 2027.

Human exposure is not currently under control, meaning unsafe contamination levels exist and people could reasonably be exposed. Drinking contaminated groundwater or inhaling vapors that seep into buildings through foundations are the main exposure concerns. Groundwater movement is also not yet confirmed as stable, so EPA continues monitoring. Institutional controls restrict groundwater use for drinking water, require vapor mitigation systems in new buildings or major renovations, and require notification to construction and utility workers doing subsurface work in the area. The most recent five-year review was completed September 6, 2022, and the next is estimated for late 2027.

Community members can take direct action. EPA offers free vapor mitigation system installations to homeowners within the contamination boundary. These systems vent harmful vapors safely outside the building. EPA began installations in 2018. Property owners can check the interactive site map or contact the Remedial Project Manager to schedule an installation. The agency is also investigating the broader groundwater plume and plans to propose a long-term cleanup solution. Community members can participate in the five-year review process by contacting the site team. Records are available at the Elkhart Public Library at 300 S. Second Street, and EPA has published fact sheets in both English and Spanish.