Solvents detected in private wells

About 25 percent of the private drinking water wells tested recently in and around the Baker Subdivision east of Grand Island showed contamination above the safe drinking water standard.

The highest levels of contamination were found just east of Gunbarrel Road and around McMartin Avenue, said Brenda Mainwaring, director of public affairs for Union Pacific Railroad.

A total of 109 wells were tested. Results were released Wednesday.

Twenty-five wells had the industrial solvent tetrachloroethylene (PCE) in a range of 5.52 parts per billion (ppb) to 16 ppb.

Those levels exceeded the safe drinking water standard of 5 ppb, said Union Pacific Railroad spokesman Mark Davis.

The Union Pacific is in charge of the testing and cleanup of the contamination because it owns the property deemed to be the cause -- 1200 E. Highway 30, the site of the defunct Nebraska Solvents Co.

Davis said another 23 wells showed traces of PCE. Those ranges tested from 0.423 ppb to 4.72 ppb.

A total of 56 wells had no detection of PCE, while test results have not come in on the remaining five wells. Those results are expected later this week, he said.

Davis said homes that have high levels of PCE were immediately put on bottled water.

Discussions are now ensuing with the Nebraska Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ) on how to provide quality water on a longer-term basis.

Possibilities include installing reverse osmosis filtration systems, installing whole-house filtration systems, extending city water lines or creating a rural water district, Davis said.

All of the wells tested were home-use wells and served as the drinking water supply for the homes, he said.

Grand Island Utilities Director Gary Mader said extending city water lines to that area would take some "detailed engineering" because of the length of line needed. The city has water main in Seedling Mile about one mile west of Gunbarrel Road.

Reaching the contaminated area would take one mile of city water main and another mile to get through the area, Mader said. City water mains cost about $750,000 per mile.

Once the water supply issues have been addressed, Davis said, the railroad and DEQ will address a permanent cleanup plan.

Although the contamination from Nebraska Solvents was first discovered about three years ago, the testing in the subdivision began just a few weeks ago when DEQ found some high levels of PCE while doing routine testing.

"It shows our aggressiveness on the environment when something is detected," Davis said of the railroad's swift response.

The railroad hired a private testing firm, the Forrester Group, to draw water samples and conduct the tests.

Davis said area property owners were very cooperative and supportive of the testing.

Exposure to PCE over long periods has been linked to kidney and liver damage, as well as cancer.

While residents have been advised not to drink the contaminated water, Davis said, the water is safe to use for lawn watering, bathing, showering and laundering.

"It will dissipate into the atmosphere," Davis said.

No contamination was found in the trailer park in the testing area, Mainwaring said.