Johns' Sludge Pond sits in Wichita, Kansas, in Sedgwick County. From the 1950s until 1970, an estimated 15,000 cubic yards of oily sludge from a nearby oil refinery were deposited there. The sludge contained lead and polychlorinated biphenyls, or PCBs, which are man-made industrial chemicals banned in the United States in 1977. Because the pond was unlined and had no leachate collection system, heavy rains pushed contaminated acidic water into nearby Chisholm Creek and the Arkansas River. The main health risks came from people ingesting or touching contaminated sludge, pond water, or groundwater.
In 1983, the EPA and the city of Wichita agreed that the city would handle the cleanup. Work took place between April 1985 and May 1986. It included removing the contaminated sludge, solidifying it with cement kiln dust, installing a clay liner, capping the area with compacted clay, and adding a soil cover and fence. A restrictive covenant was recorded with Sedgwick County in February 1987 to prevent residential and other incompatible land uses that could disturb the remedy or release contaminants. The EPA selected a no further action remedy in September 1989, and the site was deleted from the National Priorities List in January 1992.
Human exposure pathways are no longer a concern. Groundwater migration of contaminants has been stabilized, with no unacceptable discharge to surface water. The site achieved sitewide ready for anticipated reuse status in June 2006. Monthly monitoring of physical features and annual monitoring of groundwater and surface water continue. The Seventh Five-Year Review, completed in August 2022, confirmed the remedy remains protective of human health and the environment. The next five-year review is estimated between August and October 2027.
Community members who want to stay informed can join the site mailing list to receive updates on future participation opportunities. No public meetings or comment periods are currently scheduled. Two types of assistance are available to the community. Technical Assistance Services for Communities, or TASC, provides free independent expert help to understand the science and regulations involved in cleanup. Technical Assistance Grants, or TAGs, offer up to $50,000 to qualified community groups so they can hire their own technical advisor to review site conditions and EPA cleanup proposals. Site records are available for public review at the Wichita Public Library's Advanced Learning Library at 711 W. 2nd Street, Wichita, KS 67203, reachable at 316-261-8500.
