NJ Real Estate Owner/Manager

Groundwater Contamination Investigation - Fairfield, NJ

A multi-tenant building that historically contained a manufacturing company which applied a process known as thin layer chromatography to glass slides is present on the site. In 2004, a Phase I Environmental Site Assessment (Phase I) was performed. The Phase I identified a former septic tank which was active from 1969 to 1971. In 2004, a limited soil and groundwater investigation was conducted at the property. Three temporary well points were installed near the suspected former septic area. A slightly elevated level of 1,2-Dichloroethane was identified. As a result a spill was reported and a spill number was assigned to the property. No further work was conducted in 2004.

In 2010, a JMS Licensed Site Remediation Professional (LSRP) was retained to assess the situation and close out the spill number. JMS conducted a historical review of the data that confirmed 1,2-Dichloroethane was present in the 2004 data in excess of the Class IIA Groundwater Quality Criteria (GWQC).

JMS installed three permanent monitoring wells to determine if the results represented an actual groundwater condition. After the monitoring well installation, JMS collected two rounds of groundwater samples in accordance with the Technical Requirements for Site Remediation.

The current groundwater results did not identified 1,2-Dichloroethane above the current GWQS; however aluminum, iron, and manganese were identified. Our LSRP was able to issue a Response Action Outcome (RAO) based on conclusion that the results obtained from the initial grab samples collected in 2004 could not be confirmed and that no groundwater contamination related to the historic septic system existed. In addition, through an evaluation of the area’s geology it was confirmed that the presence of aluminum, iron, and manganese are related to the natural occurring minerals in the bedrock.