29th & Mead Ground Water Contamination

Overview

The 29th & Mead Ground Water Contamination site covers about 80 acres in Wichita, Kansas. It was added to the National Priorities List (NPL) in 1990 and deleted from it in 1996, though cleanup work continues. The site is divided into three operable units covering site evaluation, the general area, and the Coleman North zone. The most recent five-year review was completed in August 2025, and construction of the full remedy is not yet complete.

The main contaminants are volatile organic compounds (VOCs), a category of chemicals that evaporate easily and can move through soil and air. Specific chemicals include trichloroethylene (TCE), tetrachloroethene (PCE), benzene, toluene, and several other chlorinated solvents. Most contamination is in groundwater, but some chemicals are also present in soil. EPA has identified 27 substances of concern in total, all located in the Coleman North operable unit.

Cleanup tools include soil vapor extraction (SVE) systems and a pump-and-treat groundwater system. The original SVE system removed an estimated 8,990 to 14,323 pounds of VOCs before being shut down in 1996. Additional systems targeting nine sump areas removed roughly 2,145 pounds of VOCs before closing in 2006. An SVE system in the South Field is still running. A 2015 five-year review flagged vapor intrusion risks near occupied buildings. Sampling in 2016 found elevated PCE and TCE in 8 of 16 buildings. A degreaser product containing PCE was identified as a contributing source and has since been discontinued. Sub-slab depressurization systems were installed in Building 14 in July 2019 and Building 12 in March 2020 to reduce indoor air TCE levels. Building 14 now shows TCE below the EPA Removal Management Level of 6 micrograms per cubic meter. Building 12 still requires additional mitigation lines and continues quarterly air sampling.

Current assessments show human exposure is under control across the site, meaning no unacceptable exposure pathways exist right now. However, whether contaminated groundwater movement has stabilized is not yet confirmed due to insufficient data. All drinking water comes from the city of Wichita, not from on-site groundwater. Two businesses currently operating at the site employ 1,350 people and generate an estimated $289 million in annual sales. Institutional controls restrict uses like residential development and limit exposure to contamination.

Community members with questions can contact the EPA's Community Involvement Coordinator or Remedial Project Manager directly.