Sandy Beach Road Ground Water Plume

Overview

A half-square-mile groundwater plume sits beneath Pelican Bay in Tarrant County, Texas. The contamination traces back to disposal activities at a nearby dump site. The Texas Commission on Environmental Quality (TCEQ) brought the site to the EPA in March 2004, and the site was added to the National Priorities List on September 14, 2005. It is also known as the Pelican Bay Ground Water Plume or Pelican Bay Public Water Supply site.

Two contaminants of concern are present in the groundwater: trichloroethene (also called trichloroethylene, or TCE) and cis-1,2-dichloroethene. Both are volatile organic compounds. The contamination has reached three public water supply wells and at least 12 residential drinking water wells. As an immediate response, affected homes were connected to the municipal water supply while sampling determined the full extent of the problem.

The long-term cleanup plan includes groundwater pumping and treatment, a soil vapor extraction system, and replacement of contaminated water supply wells. A Record of Decision was finalized in September 2011, and remedial action started in September 2014. A 2018 amendment added bioremediation methods, including bioaugmentation and anaerobic treatment. A 2020 Explanation of Significant Differences then modified the treatment area. The final remedial action is expected to start between February and April 2027, with construction completion estimated between June and August 2027.

The EPA has determined that human exposure is currently under control, with no unacceptable exposure pathways active at this time. Groundwater migration is also under control, meaning contamination is stabilized and not discharging to surface water at unacceptable levels. Ongoing monitoring will confirm the plume stays within the original contamination area. Physical construction of the full cleanup is not yet complete. The most recent five-year review, completed September 20, 2025, found that the protectiveness of the remedy cannot be determined at this time, and the report identifies specific actions needed to evaluate whether the remedy is working as intended.

Community members can contact the EPA Community Involvement Coordinator. The Remedial Project Managers are also available for technical questions. For state-related questions, contact TCEQ. Full site documents, including the Second Five-Year Review Report and administrative records, are available through the EPA's website.