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Groundwater Remediation Project
Carmichael Water District and Aerojet signed a Memorandum
of Understanding (MOU) for a groundwater remediation project
in July 2005. The goal of the MOU is the capture, remediate
and prevent migration of Aerojet’s contaminant plumes
of groundwater from reaching CWD’s groundwater supply,
without any financial impacts to CWD’s customers.
N-Nitrosodimethylamine (NDMA) was detected in an Aerojet monitor
well located near Grant Avenue and Hollister in February of
2004. NDMA is a byproduct of combustion from liquid rocket
fuel and is believed to be a possible carcinogen. Since that
time Aerojet has installed seven monitor wells within the
CWD service area to identify the extent of the contaminant
plume. Of the seven monitor wells, four are free of contaminants
and three wells located at Amy Avenue, Ancil Hoffman Park
and Grant Avenue have detections of NDMA ranging from 2 ppt
to 93 ppt. Since 1999 CWD has been testing all District supplies
for NDMA and to date no NDMA has been detected in any of CWD’s
drinking water supplies.
The groundwater remediation project will consist of installing
groundwater extraction wells, pipelines and a treatment plant
to remove NDMA. Once the water supply has been treated for
NDMA it will be discharged into the American River or it could
be used as an irrigation supply for the Ancil Hoffman Golf
Course or for other environmental restoration projects.
The schedule for the project is:
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Pre-design completed
by December 2005
Environmental Document completed by March 2006
Final Design May 2006
Construction beginning July 2006
Plant Startup January 2007. |
Why is CWD working with Aerojet on this project and what is
the benefit to CWD? In the past, remediation projects in other
parts of the county have been slowed down of even stopped
for various reasons such as litigation, obtaining permits
and environmental concerns. Working together will ensure that
the project moves forward on schedule and is the first step
in protecting the groundwater basin from further contamination.
Protection of the valuable groundwater resource is vital to
our community. In addition CWD’s MOU ensures that Aerojet
pays the bill for the groundwater cleanup not CWD’s
customers.
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