57th and North Broadway Streets Site

Overview

The 57th and North Broadway Streets Site sits in Wichita and Park City, Kansas and covers industrial, commercial, agricultural, and residential areas stretching roughly one-half to three-quarters of a mile west of North Broadway Avenue. Contamination originated from three properties: the Midland Refinery, Wilko Paints, and Allen's Salvage. The site was added to the National Priorities List in 1992 and has been under active EPA oversight since the late 1980s.

Thirty-three contaminants of concern have been identified in soil and groundwater. These include volatile organic compounds (VOCs) such as benzene, trichloroethene (TCE), tetrachloroethene (PCE), toluene, and xylene, plus chlorinated solvents like vinyl chloride and 1,1-dichloroethane, and 1,4-dioxane. Contamination is concentrated in two areas: the general site remediation area and the North Broadway Plume.

Cleanup is organized into three operable units (OUs). OU1 covers general site remediation using extraction wells, air stripping, air sparging, and soil vapor extraction, with construction completed in September 2002. OU2 addressed the Riverview Neighborhood, where affected residents received bottled water and whole-house filtration until connection to city water by 2000, with remedial action also completed in September 2002. OU3 targets the North Broadway Plume. A 2019 Record of Decision called for excavating roughly 6,400 cubic yards of contaminated soil, applying activated sodium persulfate to treat groundwater, and installing a groundwater extraction and treatment system. Remedial action for OU3 began in September 2024 and is estimated to finish between September and November 2028. Funding from the federal Bipartisan Infrastructure Law is supporting this work.

A five-year review completed in July 2024 concluded that the remedy currently protects human health and the environment because no completed exposure pathways exist. However, groundwater migration is not yet stabilized, and long-term protection depends on fully implementing the OU3 remedy. The Remedial Design is finalized and implementation is underway. Private wells and monitoring wells are sampled on a semi-annual basis, typically in May and October, with results shared with affected residents. Two businesses currently operate at the site, employing 36 people and generating about $11.2 million in annual sales.

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