Rancho Cordova, Calif. still concerned about continuing groundwater contamination

Aerojet and Fair Oaks Water District have planned to drill wells to monitor and try to control a plume of groundwater contamination from the Aerojet Superfund site. Trichloroethylene and 1, 4 – dioxane have been identified in the Fair Oaks plume. Some of the places proposed for drilling are on private property, and homeowners have protested, leaving plans for dealing with the plume up in the air.

Aerojet has been manufacturing rocket fuel in Rancho Cordova since 1951 for commercial and military applications. From 1974 until 1979, the site was used for manufacturing pharmaceutical, herbicides and other chemicals. The site has been on the National Priorities List since 1983. Public health assessments of exposure to the contaminants at the site and any resulting health effects began later, in 1997, and are ongoing.

Since 1997, Rancho Cordova has had to shut down 20 city wells because of water contamination. The wells were closed when any two of the following indicator contaminants were found: trichloroethylene (TCE), perchlorate or N-nitrosodimethylamine (NDMA). The presence of two of these contaminants is considered a signal that there are likely to be many additional chemicals in the water as well.

For the full story, go to the Rancho Cordova Post.