EPA to Aid Cleanup of Water Wells Tainted by Chemicals
The federal Environmental Protection Agency will use its enforcement powers to help Santa Monica clean up city water wells contaminated by leaking gas pipelines and underground storage tanks, city officials announced Monday.
EPA officials will help determine which oil companies are responsible for chemicals that seeped into the water supply at the city’s Charnock well field, forcing its closure last June. The five wells provided about 50% of the city’s drinking water and piping in replacement water is costing Santa Monica $3.25 million annually.
Santa Monica officials welcomed the agency’s involvement, which will begin with an attempt to negotiate a settlement with up to eight oil companies in the area that could be responsible for the pollution.
“We expect this to help us speed up the city’s efforts in finding the cause and getting recovery for all the costs involved,” said Joseph Lawrence, assistant city attorney. “Collectively, we think we have all the resources possible being brought to bear to solve this problem.”
City leaders will meet with federal and state officials March 24 to discuss a strategy.
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