The Old Mill site sits in Rock Creek, Ohio, on two properties separated by Station Street. Facility operations and illegal waste dumping left the land heavily contaminated. EPA and Ohio EPA found roughly 1,200 drums of toxic waste there in 1979, including solvents, oils, resins, and polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs). The site was added to the National Priorities List (NPL) in September 1983. The NPL is EPA's roster of contaminated sites that need formal investigation and cleanup.
Twenty-seven contaminants of concern have been identified at the site. Metals include arsenic, cadmium, chromium, lead, nickel, selenium, and zinc. Organic chemicals include acetone, benzoic acid, ethylbenzene, phenol, PCBs, polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), trichloroethene, and xylene. Pesticides are also listed. These substances have been found in soil, groundwater, and surface water.
EPA issued a cleanup plan in August 1985. Work included demolishing buildings, removing contaminated soil, and installing a groundwater pumping and treatment system. Residents within one-half mile downgradient were offered connections to the public water supply. Construction finished in September 1991. In December 2006, the treatment system was paused to test whether natural processes could handle the remaining groundwater contamination. The Old Mill Potentially Responsible Party Group now manages the site and runs quarterly and annual monitoring of 21 shallow monitoring wells, 13 deep monitoring wells, and 3 shallow piezometers.
Human exposure is currently under control, and groundwater migration has been stabilized with no unacceptable discharge to surface water. The site is ready for its anticipated uses, with all required land-use restrictions in place. Zoning rules block residential and other incompatible uses. The Village of Rock Creek enforces Ordinance No. 2221, adopted June 5, 2002, which prohibits new private wells within village limits and restricts potable water sources. The site achieved ready-for-anticipated-reuse status in September 2011 and has not yet been deleted from the NPL.
EPA is conducting its seventh five-year review, expected to be completed in March 2026. Community members can share comments about site conditions during this process. To get involved or ask questions, contact EPA's Community Involvement Coordinator or Remedial Project Manager. Site records are also available at the Rock Creek Public Library at 2988 High Street in Rock Creek, Ohio.
