The Sprague Road Ground Water Plume sits in Odessa, Texas, in Ector County. Three abandoned chromium plating businesses contaminated roughly 180 acres of groundwater, producing three separate plumes. The site was added to the EPA's National Priorities List (NPL) in September 1997 and remains on that list today.
The two contaminants of concern are chromium and 1,1-dichloroethene, both found in groundwater across the site. EPA determined these substances pose an unacceptable risk to human health based on the amounts present and the ways people could be exposed. The main health concern is drinking contaminated groundwater. Groundwater migration is currently under control, meaning the contamination is stabilized within the original area and is not discharging to surface water.
The three responsible facilities, Leigh Metal Plating, Inc., National Chromium Corporation, and Machine and Casting, Inc., all closed by 1993. Workers at these businesses improperly managed and disposed of contaminated materials. Cleanup began with removal actions in the mid-to-late 1990s. Liquids, sludges, and contaminated soil were removed in 1996. Bottled water was supplied to nearby residents in 1998, and those residents were later connected to the municipal water supply. The long-term remedy selected in September 2000 includes groundwater pumping and treatment, reinjection of treated groundwater, and ongoing monitoring. Construction was completed in 2003. In 2010, EPA switched the treatment technology to reach significantly lower chromium levels. A September 2024 Explanation of Significant Differences added in-situ bioremediation, institutional controls, and a contingency remedy to the plan.
Operation and maintenance responsibility transferred to the state of Texas in April 2019. The Texas Commission on Environmental Quality (TCEQ) now plays an active role alongside EPA. EPA's most recent five-year review, completed in September 2023, found that response actions align with the selected remedy. However, EPA cannot yet confirm full protection of public health and the environment until the new groundwater treatment system is fully operational. The site has not achieved sitewide ready-for-anticipated-use status, meaning cleanup goals for current and future land uses have not all been met. The next five-year review is expected between September and November 2028.
Community members with questions can contact EPA's Community Involvement Coordinator or the Remedial Project Manager. TCEQ staff, including its Community Relations Liaison, are also available.
