PCE - Carriage Cleaners

Overview

Carriage Cleaners, a former dry-cleaning business at 2110 and 2112 Franklin Street in Bellevue, Nebraska, released large amounts of tetrachloroethylene (PCE), a chlorinated solvent, into the surrounding soil and groundwater. PCE and related compounds, including trichloroethylene (TCE) and chloroform, have been detected in indoor air at nearby homes and businesses. The EPA added the site to the National Priorities List (NPL), the federal roster of the most serious contaminated sites, in December 2022.

The contamination runs deep. Sampling in April 2021 found PCE concentrations near 4 percent by weight, a sign of dense nonaqueous phase liquid (DNAPL), which is a heavy, hard-to-remove form of solvent contamination that sinks through soil and groundwater. Contamination extends more than 70 feet below the surface. Starting in 2019, the EPA tested 85 nearby properties for vapor intrusion, which happens when underground vapors seep into buildings through cracks in foundations. Of those 85 properties, 20 had contamination above safe levels and now have vapor mitigation systems installed. City of Bellevue municipal water supplies tap water to residents, and the contaminated plume does not reach the drinking water aquifer, so tap water is safe.

Active work is continuing on several fronts. A second removal action started in September 2024 and is expected to run through late 2027. A thermal treatment system is planned for installation in late summer or fall of 2025. It will heat soil and groundwater down to 80 feet to vaporize and remove solvent contamination over 9 to 12 months, with the EPA targeting a 99 percent reduction in source area contamination. Installation will require closing part of Franklin Street west of 22nd Street. A Remedial Investigation and Feasibility Study (RI/FS) is also underway. The first of three soil sampling rounds finished the week of May 5, 2025, with two more planned for summer and fall of 2025. These results will eventually guide selection of a long-term cleanup remedy. No final remedy has been chosen yet, and physical cleanup is not complete.

The EPA notes that there is no immediate or near-term health risk at the site, but investigation is continuing to rule out long-term exposure risks. Performance data are not yet sufficient to confirm whether human exposure is fully under control or whether groundwater migration is stabilized. Community members with questions can contact the EPA's Community Involvement Coordinator or the Remedial Project Manager. For state-related questions, contact Nebraska's Department of Water, Energy, and Environment.