Region 5 Superfund (SF)

U.S. EPA REGION 5
ANOKA COUNTY
FRIDLEY

Congressional District # 05

FRIDLEY COMMONS PARK WELL FIELD

EPA ID# MND985701309
Last Updated: September, 2006

Site Description

The Fridley Commons Park Well Field Site (Site) is located in the city of Fridley, Minnesota.  The Site is located approximately one mile east of the Mississippi River, one mile south of Rice Creek, and approximately 0.2 miles northeast of Moore Lake. The Site is about 50 acres in area. Surrounding land use is largely residential along with commercial/industrial businesses.  The city of Fridley receives its municipal water supply from 13 municipal wells, 8 of which are located within the park along with a water treatment plant.  The water supply provides water to a population of about 29,000 people. 

The Fridley municipal water supply system is also supplemented by an interconnection to the New Brighton municipal water system.  Primarily during the winter months, the interconnection provides excess water from the water treatment system installed at the Twin Cities Army Ammunition Plant.  

Several geologic studies have been conducted in Fridley and the surrounding communities for environmental purposes. These studies have found that there are several aquifer systems in the region surrounding the Site.  Of the eight municipal wells located within the park, Municipal Well Nos. 6,7,8, and 9 historically have been impacted by low levels of volatile organic contaminants (VOCs) consisting primarily of trichloroethylene (TCE) and are withdrawing water from the Prairie du Chien Jordan Aquifer (PdCJ).  In addition to TCE, breakdown products of TCE (e.g. di-chloroethylene and vinyl chloride) have also been detected intermittently.  The other four municipal wells (Municipal Well Nos. 2,3,4, and 5) are withdrawing water from the Mt. Simon-Hinckley aquifer and have indicated evidence of contamination.   

The source of contamination which had impacted the well field has never been identified.   To assure that the municipal water users are safe, the city of Fridley has been extracting groundwater from the deeper aquifers and has utilized "blending" with clean water to assure that the drinking water, provided to the public, is of an acceptable quality. Also, the city has been monitoring groundwater water quality on a regular basis. Drinking water where contaminants are below the maximum contaminant level (MCL) will not provide an unacceptable risk to public health from the exposure to TCE. 

Site Responsibility

This site is being addressed through federal and state actions.  The State of Minnesota through the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency (MPCA) is the lead regulatory agency on this site.

Threats and Contaminants

Public water supplies are regulated by the United States Environmental Protection Agency (U.S. EPA) under the Federal Safe Drinking Water Act. Pursuant to the Act, U.S. EPA calculates the maximum contaminant levels (MCLs) based on the consideration of the health risk and the technical feasibility of the current remediation technologies for removing a specific contaminant.  Historical ground water samples have indicated that some of the municipal water supply wells have been impacted by TCE at levels above its MCL of 5 ug/L. 

Cleanup Progress

In 1981, the city of Fridley initiated a program for measuring VOCs in groundwater samples from its municipal wells.  TCE was detected in Well 9 in 1984, although it was not detected in the blended water of the water supply system.  Subsequent testing indicated that the four PdCJ wells (6,7,8, and 9) were impacted by VOCs consisting primarily of TCE.      

The city undertook a study in an effort to identify the source of the contamination.  Additional wells were installed, and a study of possible sources in the area of the well field was conducted.  The source of the contamination was not identified and the shallow aquifer in the vicinity of the site was not impacted; however, VOCs were frequently present in samples from Wells 6, 7, 8, and 9.  Analyses indicated that Well No. 9 consistently had the highest concentrations and was taken out of service in February 1989.  The city also reduced the use of Wells 6, 7, and 8.  The city's water supply has been partially supplemented by the New Brighton-Fridley Interconnect in an effort to replace the water that is no longer useable.  

An evaluation of groundwater contamination was conducted under the direction of MPCA and a report was prepared in March of 1997.  The report summarizes the geology and hydrogeology and the types and quantities of contamination, detected along with long-term predictions, with regard to fate and transport of the contamination.  The source of the contamination was not identified and the report concluded that unless TCE concentrations decline, treatment of the existing contaminated water or new sources of water will be needed to meet the future demands with water of acceptable quality.

In August 2000, EPA federally-funded MPCA to complete a focused remedial investigation/feasibility study (RI/FS) and record of decision (ROD) for the site.  The results of the investigation were inconclusive as to the source of the contamination.  Further investigation was not considered beneficial and focus shifted to evaluating methods to provide the City of Fridley with an acceptable water supply.  Meanwhile, the City of Fridley continues to monitor the municipal wells while they are in use.  The results have indicated that the contaminant concentrations have remained below the MCL with the exception of Well No 9.  Concentrations in Well No 9 have been below the MCL since January 2004 and TCE breakdown products are no longer being detected. 

Since MPCA had been unable to identify a source of the contamination and contaminant concentrations have remained below health based levels for an extended period of time, a ROD was signed in September 2005 recommending that a remedy was not required and that ground water monitoring be conducted for at least two years to ensure that unacceptable contaminant levels do not return.        

Community Involvement

There has been little community interest in the site.  MPCA and EPA have worked closely with the City of Fridley in evaluating the potential impacts on the municipal water supply.  This regulatory coordination is expected to continue during the ground water monitoring period.

Property Reuse

The site consisted of contaminated ground water located within the municipal well field in the Fridley Commons Park.  Normal use of the park has not been restricted and the park continues to be utilized for recreational activities.

Contacts

Remedial Project Manager, U.S. EPA
david seely (seely.david@epa.gov)
(312) 886-7058

Community Involvement Coordinator, U.S. EPA
bob paulson
(312) 886-0272

Aliases

FRIDLEY COMMONS PARK WELLFIELD

 

Site Profile Information

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