Fridley Commons Park Well Field is a 50-acre public water supply facility in Fridley, Minnesota. It includes 13 wells, eight of which sit on the Superfund site, along with a water treatment plant. Groundwater contamination was first detected in 1981 during routine sampling. The EPA added the site to the National Priorities List in 1999. The source of the contamination has never been identified.
The main contaminant of concern is trichloroethene, also known as TCE, a volatile organic compound found in the site's groundwater. The EPA determined that TCE poses an unacceptable risk to human health or the environment and must be addressed. Health risks involve people ingesting or coming into contact with contaminated groundwater. The ninth well, which showed the highest contamination levels, was temporarily taken out of service but has since returned to active use as contamination decreased.
A remedial investigation began in August 2000. After completing the investigation and a feasibility study, the EPA selected a final remedy in September 2005. Because contaminant concentrations had remained below federal maximum contaminant levels for an extended period, the EPA chose a "No Action" remedy for the groundwater. Construction tied to the cleanup was completed in October 2005. All cleanup goals for current and reasonably anticipated future land uses have been met. Human exposure is under control, and contaminated groundwater migration is stabilized with no unacceptable discharge to surface water.
The City of Fridley periodically samples wells to make sure contaminant levels stay below federal maximum contaminant levels. The EPA consults regularly with the city to monitor groundwater quality and confirm that unacceptable contamination levels do not return. The site was determined ready for anticipated reuse in August 2013 and was deleted from the National Priorities List in September 2020. Beyond the well field, Fridley Commons Park offers recreation facilities including baseball fields, tennis courts, a playground, and a warming house.
Community members who want to stay informed or ask questions can contact EPA staff directly. The site's Community Involvement Coordinator and Remedial Project Manager are available by phone and email, and an NPL deletion docket containing 24 records is available for public review.
