Plant Ordered to Pump Contaminated Groundwater

A metal-finishing firm in the city of Orange, under scrutiny since a toxic solvent was found in the groundwater at 44 times the allowable limit, was told Tuesday to resume full-scale pumping of contaminants this week.

Kurt V. Berchtold, head of pollution investigation for the Santa Ana Regional Water Quality Control Board, said Tuesday that officials for Aerochem Inc. were ordered to fix two of three groundwater pumps in groundwater wells at the plant.

With all three in operation, Berchtold said “thousands of gallons” of polluted water could be recovered daily, halting the spread of contaminants while a search for the source of the solvent, PCE, continued. The wells were installed last year to remove highly toxic acids from groundwater under the plant on Batavia Street near Taft Avenue.

Plan Requested

At the same time, Berchtold said Aerochem officials have been asked to submit a plan by the end of the week to identify the extent of groundwater contamination.

The suspected carcinogen PCE, or perchloroethylene, was found two weeks ago in groundwater wells at Aerochem. Further tests showed that the widely used cleaning solvent had spread at least 300 feet south of the plant, threatening water supplies a few miles away.

The chemical has not reached actual drinking water supplies, but Berchtold said preventing that is a top priority of water quality officials.

Berchtold said the chemical is used heavily at the firm, but that company officials are unaware of any spills on their property that could account for the levels of PCE in test samples. One theory advanced by company officials is that the pollution could be caused by escaping PCE fumes.

Possible Cause

He said Aerochem uses so much of the highly evaporative chemical that company officials have installed an air emission system that is regulated by the South Coast Air Quality Management District.

“They have found PCE in the air above the water line in their wells, so they think it’s possible there may be some migration from air into the water,” Berchtold said.

Meanwhile, officials for the Orange County Water District are proceeding with their own plan to investigate the spread of PCE. Berchtold said the district is talking with the municipal water agency in the city of Orange about reducing the amount of water taken from a well nearest the Aerochem plant.

“That would have the effect of reducing the pull (of contaminants) in the direction of that well,” he said.