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The Excel Beef (MBPXL) Site (Site) is a beef processing plant located on US Highway 400 approximately one mile east of Dodge City, Kansas. The Site is currently owned and operated by Cargill Meat Solutions (Cargill). The Site was discovered in October 1988 when a groundwater quality monitoring program was implemented to develop groundwater quality data in rural areas and private wells adjacent to the Excel. Based on the available data, on- and off-site groundwater is contaminated with chloride and nitrate in both the alluvial and Ogallala aquifers.

In 1989, a Groundwater Investigation Study was performed to evaluate Excel's wastewater treatment facilities contribution to local groundwater contamination. At the time of the study, the facility's wastewater treatment liquid waste storage facilities consisted of two evaporation ponds, two anaerobic ponds, one aerobic pond, and three brine storage ponds. The initial assessment found elevated nitrate levels within the alluvial groundwater monitoring wells and attempted to identify the source of the elevated groundwater nitrates. The Kansas Department of Health and Environment (KDHE) requested that Excel conduct a thorough investigation and determine the extent and direction of the groundwater nitrate plume and assess measures which may be necessary for remediation.

On September 27, 1996, Excel entered into an Interim Agreement with KDHE to initiate Site characterization of potential soil and groundwater contamination at the facility.

During 1997-1998, Excel performed several investigation activities including subsurface soil sampling, groundwater monitoring well installation, monitoring well abandonment, soil trenching, and surface sediment sampling as proposed in the Final Groundwater Nitrate Investigation Work Plan approved by KDHE in July 1997. A Groundwater Investigation Report summarizing the field activities and subsequent results was submitted in October 1998. Based on the results of the 1998 Groundwater Investigation Report, KDHE requested that additional activities be proposed in order to delineate the extent of contamination off-site to the west, north, and east of the facility.

In July 2000, a Groundwater Probe Investigation was completed to delineate the extent of nitrate and chloride contamination in groundwater beneath Excel's facility and neighboring properties of the Site. The scope of the investigation included groundwater probe sampling that occurred along the northwest, northeast, and southeast property boundaries. During this investigation, the extent of nitrate contamination had been defined along the western boundary of the Excel property.

Excel installed a reverse osmosis system in two nearby residences to address nitrate contamination in private drinking water wells in 2001. Excel proposed the installation of an extraction well to hydraulically contain the contamination. As a source control measure, Excel began pumping the new extraction well (TW-1) adjacent to the former brine pond in January 2003; however, TW-1 is currently used for monitoring purposes only.

In spring 2011, Cargill completed lagoon closure activities associated with capping the former brine evaporation ponds at the Site. In order to assess effectiveness of lagoon closure activities, Cargill conducts groundwater monitoring on a semi-annual basis.

In February 2014, KDHE approved Cargill’s Corrective Action Study (CAS). On January 23, 2015, Bureau of Water granted Cargill a permit to extract water from TW-1 to be treated for 30 days. This is a test to see how the wastewater treatment facility will handle the increased chloride and nitrate concentrations. In addition to the RO test, a private water well survey was conducted in August 2015. 30 Day RO Test reviewed by BOW in spring 2016. Another, longer 90 day RO test requested by BOW to confirm results (this Report has been submitted, Dec 2017).

KDHE has started compiling reports for the Corrective Action Decision (CAD), but has paused work on the document until the 2014 costs for the remedial actions recommended in the 2014 CAS are updated to current costs.

Groundwater monitoring continues to the present: the 1st Half 2025 Groundwater Monitoring Report was approved September 30, 2025 and KDHE is anticipating the 2nd Half 2025 report to be submitted during the 1st quarter of 2026.