Site Narrative:
Carbon tetrachloride was initially detected (10.9?g/L) in the Bendena Public Water Supply (PWS) well in February of 1985. A Preliminary Assessment (PA) was conducted at the site in December 1987. The PA recommended a site investigation because nitrate and carbon tetrachloride were detected above the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Maximum Contaminant Level (MCL).
A Site Investigation was completed in 1988. To address contamination, an air stripper was constructed and connection to Rural Water District 5 (RWD #5) (for blending) was completed in 1989. In September 1996, only 10% of water from the town's PWS wells were being utilized for blending with water from RWD No. 5 because of high nitrate contamination. In 1998, a Comprehensive Investigation (CI) was conducted at the Bendena site. Subsurface soil samples collected near the former Commodity Credit Corporation/United States Department of Agriculture (CCC/USDA) grain storage facility detected carbon tetrachloride concentrations of 100?g/kg. Based on results, the CCC/USDA grain bin site has been identified as a possible source of contamination.
CCC/USDA prepared a Site Characterization Work Plan in 1999, but local officials requested work at the site be postponed indefinitely. In 2004, KDHE requested CCC/USDA conduct a ground water monitoring event to assess site conditions and evaluate the necessity for future actions. KDHE met with representatives of Bendena in June 2004, to discuss potential investigations and monitoring at the site. In August 2004, KDHE received a letter from the Doniphan County Rural Water District #2 (RWD #2) requesting that CCC/USDA begin assuming the cost of ground water monitoring for carbon tetrachloride in Bendena. KDHE contacted the RWD #2, Doniphan County to discuss the board's position on additional investigation into the nitrate and carbon tetrachloride contamination in Bendena and requested documentation of the board's position.
During a CCC/ANL/KDHE joint site tour in August 2005, KDHE spoke with a Bendena representative regarding the continuation of the investigation at Bendena. The representative indicated that he would not object to additional investigational activities at the site. The KDHE State Water Plan attempted to gain access to the Co-op property in 2005; however, access was denied. In December 2009-January 2010, KDHE conducted a supplemental site investigation (SSI) for the Bendena RWD #2, PWS #1 Site (C4-022-00005) to identify source areas for nitrate and carbon tetrachloride. KDHE collected groundwater and soil samples. As a cooperative effort, CCC/USDA and ANL were onsite to collect duplicate samples of soil and groundwater for VOCs analyses during the SSI. Analysis of duplicate soil samples indicated the absence of VOC contamination in soil within the investigation area; however, analysis of groundwater samples indicacted the presence of carbon tetrachloride in groundwater at the former CCC/USDA facility.
In January 2012 KDHE requested CCC/USDA develop a sampling plan to resample private wells near former CCC/USDA grain bin Sites in Kansas where no monitoring program currently exists. CCC/USDA requested KDHE perform the sampling, and KDHE prepared/approved a Private Well Sampling Plan in December 2012 for the Site, which KDHE implemented in February 2013. KDHE completed the report in May 2014.
KDHE approved a CCC/USDA carbon tetrachloride characterization workplan in September 2013; field work was conducted in November 2013 through February 2014. Data from this work resulted in further investigation in the fall of 2014. The report was approved by KDHE in December 2015.
For more information regarding site activities nearby the former CCC/USDA Site, please refer to Site Information Fact Sheets for the following sites: Johnson Farms Inc. Site, C4-022-72651; Bendena RWD #2 PWS #1 Site, C4-022-00005; and Bendena Ag Site, C4-022-72673. |