Published in the Ocean County Observer
BY MATT PAIS
STAFF WRITER
TOMS RIVER — Nearly half of the 36 irrigation wells in North Dover tested by the state were found to have elevated levels of benzene, a state official told the Citizen Action Committee for Childhood Cancer Cluster at its meeting last night.
On the eve of an 11 a.m. court appearance by township officials and United Water representatives to decide whether the utility will continue to serve the township, the citizen's group heard about the ongoing treatment of contaminated water, as well as the possibility that benzene-contaminated wells in the North Dover section of town may be putting residents in danger.
William Lowry, a site assessor with the state Department of Environmental Protection, told the group about the ongoing effort to identify the source of toxic levels of benzene in irrigation wells located on and around North Maple Avenue.
Lowry said that in addition to three drinking wells that were found to have been contaminated and were immediately treated, nearly half of the 36 irrigation wells tested in the area were found to have levels of benzene beyond safe amounts. In all, more than 70 irrigation wells are in the area, but some property owners did not agree to testing, Lowry said.
"There is still contaminated groundwater in that area," Lowry said.
In addition to the possible contamination of groundwater, Lowry said his department is beginning to test whether benzene vapors seeping from the groundwater and soil into the atmosphere pose a danger to residents.
Residents in the area have received notification that the DEP recommends they stop using the wells, but the department lacks the jurisdiction necessary to mandate closures.
"We just don't have the statutory authority right now," he said.
Lowry will be on hand at the regular township council meeting June 27 to offer a full briefing on the potential threat of benzene and the steps being taken by the department.
In addition, Rob Rouse, a remediation leader for the Union Carbide Corp., detailed the progress being made in treating water headed toward wells affected by the hauling of toxic waste to the Reich Farm property in 1971.
Rouse reported that the ongoing project was successful and that 15 of the 24 contaminated wells had been remediated to safe levels and tested clean at least six consecutive times. Of the nine remaining wells, five had achieved cleanup standards for at least three sampling rounds.
"The system is working as it was designed," Rouse said. "The contamination is getting smaller."
Rouse's data incorporated the treatment of water for volatile organic compounds as well as the presence of SAN-Trimer, a material found to be present in both the water and soil. The toxicity levels of SAN-Trimer have yet to be firmly established, said Linda Gillick, chairwoman of the committee.
Published in the Ocean County Observer on 06/13/06
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