Brooklyn-Queens Aquifer Feasibility Study

Fact Sheet: Monitoring Wells - June 2002

The New York City Department of Environmental Protection (NYCDEP) plans to install six (6) groundwater monitoring wells in the Jamaica community in June 2002. These wells are being installed in conjunction with the clean-up of the West Side Corporation (WSC) property (107-10 180th Street), a 4.5 acre class 2 inactive hazardous waste disposal site that was used for storage and distribution of dry cleaning chemicals until 1992. Installation of the wells will be for testing and monitoring purposes only, specifically to observe water levels and test water quality. No water will be pumped for household or industrial use.

Background

Use of the WSC site to store and distribute dry cleaning chemicals resulted in spills and other release of contaminants, principally perchloroethylene (PCE or PERC), into soils and groundwater. The New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (NYSDEC) and NYCDEP have jointly developed a plan to clean up the WSC property and an adjacent area that currently extends approximately ¾ of a mile southeast of the site. NYSDEC will clean up soils at the WSC site; NYCDEP is beginning the off-site groundwater portion of the clean-up effort. This includes installation and operation of a large-capacity well at Station 24 (180th Street and 106th Road), a former Jamaica Water Supply Company pumping facility next to the WSC site. This new well will capture the contaminated groundwater, thereby preventing it from spreading further. The pumped groundwater will be treated and tested, as required by law, before being discharged into the sewer system. Water from Station 24 will never be distributed into the City's water supply.

The 6 monitoring wells that are being installed in June will track the effectiveness of the Station 24 well, by measuring the quality, depth, and direction in which groundwater is flowing.

Locations of Monitoring Wells

Three (3) wells will be installed at Station 24, an NYCDEP facility. Three (3) wells will be installed curbside at the following locations:

• 175-03 110th Avenue (on the 175th Street side)
• Intersection of Sayres Avenue and 111th Avenue (at the wedge-shaped intersection of the streets)
• 109-54 172nd Street (mid-block between 109th and 110th Avenues)

Well Installation

Installation of the wells will require one or two days of construction at each location. Community disruption (primarily noise) will only occur on the first day, when a rig will be used to drill a hole for the well. Monitoring equipment will then be installed and grouted into place. If a second day of work is required, no drilling will be involved. A 10" steel plate that will cover the well will be the only visible feature following installation.

Well Monitoring and Maintenance

Once construction is complete, NYCDEP personnel will be on site once a week (for approximately one hour) to collect the data and once every other month (for 2-3 hours) to collect water samples for laboratory analysis.

Health and Safety

Well installation is being performed in accordance with NYSDEC's permitting procedures. NYCDEP will adhere to all applicable environmental health and safety standards during installation and throughout operation of the wells. For example, water extracted for testing purposes will be removed from the site in sealed barrels.

Additional Information

If you have any questions or would like additional information about the monitoring wells and groundwater clean-up of the WSC site, please contact Bill Yulinsky at (718) 595-5272.