The Zanesville Well Field covers about 100 acres on both banks of the Muskingum River in Zanesville, Ohio. Manufacturing operations ran on the property from 1893 until 2008, and the site also includes the Zanesville Municipal Well Field. The EPA added the site to the National Priorities List (NPL) in September 1983 after finding contamination during a 1981 spot check.
The main contaminants are volatile organic compounds (VOCs), specifically trichloroethene (TCE) and 1,2-dichloroethene, found in both soil and groundwater. TCE is a solvent used for degreasing metal parts and can be toxic to humans. Metals found in soil include lead, cadmium, mercury, chromium, cobalt, copper, zinc, aluminum, antimony, barium, manganese, and vanadium.
Cleanup began in July 1983 when the responsible party installed a groundwater extraction and treatment system and removed about 120 drums and contaminated debris from a brick-lined well. A soil vapor extraction system followed in 1985. EPA signed a formal cleanup plan, called a Record of Decision, in September 1991. That plan called for containment, capture, and treatment of contaminated soil and groundwater. A 2010 update led to excavating and disposing of more than 1,880 cubic yards of contaminated soil off-site, along with adding 16 soil vapor extraction wells. Construction was completed by September 1996, and the site achieved sitewide ready-for-anticipated-reuse status in July 2019.
Today, human exposure is under control. There are no unacceptable exposure pathways, contaminated groundwater is stabilized in its original area, and there is no unacceptable discharge to surface water. All cleanup goals for current and reasonably anticipated future land uses have been met, and required land-use controls are in place. The buildings on the west-side property were demolished in 2017 and 2018, and the City of Zanesville now owns that vacant land. EPA is currently conducting its sixth five-year review, expected to be completed in May 2026, to confirm the cleanup continues to protect public health and the environment.
Community members can share comments about site conditions or concerns with EPA's Remedial Project Manager. For community involvement questions, contact the Community Involvement Coordinator.
