ATSDR - PHA - Groveland Wells, Groveland, Essex County, Massachusetts

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PUBLIC HEALTH ASSESSMENT

GROVELAND WELLS
GROVELAND, ESSEX COUNTY, MASSACHUSETTS

Based on the information reviewed, ATSDR and MDPH has concluded that this site posed a past public health hazard because of the potential risk to human health resulting from past exposure to hazardous substances that may result in adverse health effects. As noted in the public health implications section, exposure to hazardous TCE levels via ingestion of municipal drinking water probably occurred prior to 1979. Currently, there is no public health hazard associated with the site.

Analyses of data from the Massachusetts Cancer Registry failed to detect any statistically significant differences in cancer incidence rates experienced in Groveland and West Newbury from those for the Commonwealth as a whole. For numerous anatomical sites of concern, however, the number of cancer cases was too low to evaluate statistical significance.
A contamination plume of TCE and 1,2-DCE is migrating northward from the Valley Manufactured Products Inc. plant. Considering the uncertainty of future hydrogeological conditions and the possibility of chemical transformation of TCE to vinyl chloride, removal of TCE contamination from site ground water is necessary to protect the future public health of the Groveland community.
The current ground water extraction system at Mill Pond is not completely capturing the contaminated bedrock ground water in that area. In addition, emissions from the air strippers are not presently being filtered and as a result, unknown TCE levels are being released. Estimated TCE emission levels are in all likelihood not hazardous.
Current ingestion of waters drawn from the Station 1 Groveland municipal well does not pose a health threat.
Hazardous levels of TCE, arsenic, lead and 1,2-DCE were detected in ground water monitored from wells drilled throughout the site. No hazardous contamination levels were, however, detected in wells whose waters are known to be ingested.

RECOMMENDATIONS

In order to protect the public health of individuals engaged in activities on or near the Groveland Wells site, the MDPH in conjunction with ATSDR puts forth the following recommendations:

The Station 1 Groveland Municipal Well and the known private well in the area should continued to be regularly monitored for VOC, lead and arsenic contamination.
TCE emissions from the air stripping tower at the Mill Pond extraction system should be monitored.
Warnings against the consumption of Mill Pond waters should be considered.
A recommendation to the appropriate state and federal labor officials should be made to monitor indoor VOC levels at the Valley plant.
Monitoring of cancer incidence rates by the MDPH for Groveland and West Newbury should continue.

HEALTH ACTIVITIES RECOMMENDATION PANEL (HARP) RECOMMENDATION

The data and information contained in this public health assessment for the Groveland Wells site is currently being evaluated by ATSDR's Health Activities Recommendation Panel to determine appropriate follow-up health activities. Since citizens of Groveland and West Newbury were at risk of exposure to TCE in the past and allegations that neurobehavioral disorders resulted from such exposure, the panel determined that those individuals believed to be exposed to TCE be considered for ATSDRs TCE subregistry. The subregistry has, however, reached full capacity and therefore no new individuals can be presently enrolled. Health information and pertinent findings pertaining to this subregistry should also be disseminated to the citizens from these communities. Furthermore, the panel determined that the agency in conjunction with the Massachusetts Department of Public Health should assess the feasibility of conducting a community health investigation of neurobehavioral deficits in the impacted communities. Finally the panel recommended that a dose-reconstruction be conducted so that the length of time residents of Groveland and West Newbury were exposed to TCE-contaminated drinking water can be more accurately estimated.

PUBLIC HEALTH ACTIONS

The Public Health Action Plan for the Groveland Wells NPL Site contains a description of actions to be taken by ATSDR and/or the MDPH at and in the vicinity of the site subsequent to the completion of the this Public Health Assessment. For those actions taken at the site, please see the Background section of this document. The purpose of the PHAP is to ensure that this health assessment not only identifies public health hazards but provides a plan of action designed to mitigate and prevent adverse human health effects resulting from exposure to hazardous substances in the environment. Included is a commitment on the part of ATSDR/MDPH to ensure that it is implemented. The public health actions to be implemented are as follows:

The Bureau of Environmental Health Assessment at MDPH will discuss with ATSDR the feasibility of conducting a health investigation of neurobehavioral deficits in the impacted communities.
The Bureau of Environmental Health Assessment at MDPH will discuss with ATSDR the feasibility of their conducting a ground water dose reconstruction in order to estimate the length of time residents of Groveland and West Newbury were exposed to TCE-contaminated drinking water.
The Bureau of Environmental Health Assessment at MDPH will provide information from the ATSDR TCE exposure subregistry to interested citizens.
The Massachusetts Department of Environmental Protection will continue routine monitoring of municipal water quality in Groveland.
The Bureau of Environmental Health Assessment will assess the possibility of conducting indoor air monitoring for VOCs inside of the Valley Manufactured Products plant.
The Bureau of Environmental Health Assessment within MDPH will continue to monitor cancer incidence rates for the towns of Groveland and West Newbury.

CERTIFICATION

The public health assessment for the Groveland Wells site was prepared by the Massachusetts Department of Public Health under a cooperative agreement with the Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry (ATSDR). It is in accordance with approved methodology and procedures existing at the time the public health assessment was begun.

Gregory V. Ulirsch
Technical Project Officer, SPS, SSAB, DHAC

The Division of Health Assessment and Consultation, ATSDR, has reviewed this public health assessment, and concurs with its findings.

Robert C. Williams
Director, DHAC, ATSDR

PREPARERS OF THE REPORT

William C. Strohsnitter,
Environmental Analyst
Bureau of Environmental Health Assessment, MDPH

Jeffrey D. Purvis,
Chief, Community Assessment Unit
Bureau of Environmental Health Assessment, MDPH

Suzanne K. Condon,
Director
Bureau of Environmental Health Assessment, MDPH

Louise House,
ATSDR Regional Representative Regional Services
Office of the Assistant Administrator, ATSDR

ATSDR Technical Project Officer
Gregory Ulirsch,
Division of Health Assessment and Consultation
Remedial Programs Branch

REFERENCES

1) Supplemental Management of Migration Remedial Investigation Report. Groveland Wells Site, Groveland, Massachusetts, prepared by NUS Corporation, February 1991.

2)
Remedial Investigation for the Groveland Wells Site, Groveland, Massachusetts, Volume I, prepared for NUS Corporation, Document PD-105-020, prepared by Environmental Research and Technology Inc., June 1985

3)
Final Phase I Supplemental Remedial Investigation Report, Valley Manufactured Products Co. Inc., Groveland Resources Corporation, Groveland, Massachusetts, M. Anthony Lally Associates, Consulting Environmental Engineers, North Andover, Massachusetts, July 1988.

4) Valley Manufactured Products Company Endangerment Assessment Final Report prepared by Allied Technologies Corporation, Bedford, MA, for Planning Research Corporation, Chicago, IL, September, 1987

5)

Personal communication with Remedial Project Manager, Groveland Wells site, USEPA, August 8, 1991.

6) Personal communication with Project Manager, Massachusetts Department of Environmental Protection, August 9, 1991.

7)
Personal communication with the Chairperson, West Newbury Water Commission, August 12, 1991

8)
Personal communication with Chairperson, Groveland Board of Health, July 24, 1991 and August 5, 1991.

9)
Special Analysis of Data, Commonwealth of Massachusetts, Department of Environmental Quality Engineering (February 23, 1976-June 14, 1979). U.S. Environmental Protection Agency Administrative Record for the Management of Migration, Operable Unit #1 of the Groveland Site, Item #: 9.7.63, 1991.

10) Well Data Analysis, Commonwealth of Massachusetts, Department of Environmental Quality Engineering (September 27, 1979). U.S. Environmental Protection Agency Administrative Record for the Management of Migration, Operable Unit #1 of the Groveland Site, Item #: 9.7.106, 1991.

11) Data Management Task for Valley Manufactured Products Company, Groveland, Massachusetts, Draft Final Report, prepared for United States Environmental Protection Agency, prepared by Planning Research Corporation, Chicago, Illinois, July 1987.

12)
Evaluation of Water Supply/Demand Situation, Groveland, MA, Environmental Research and Technology Inc., Concord, MA, prepared for NUS corporation and United States Environmental Protection Agency, Document #: D105-110, June, 1985.

13) Memorandum from Groveland Wells Site Manager, NUS Corporation, Wilmington, MA, to Groveland Wells site Remedial Project Manager, USEPA, Region I, Boston, MA, re: Analytical Results for Residential Well and Surface Water Discharge Samples, Groveland Wells site, W.A. No. 04-1632, Date: September 23, 1991.

14)

Toxicological Profile for Vinyl Chloride, prepared by Syracuse Research Corporation for the Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry, USPHS, August 1989.

15)
Supplemental Management of Migration Feasibility Study Report, Groveland Wells Site, Groveland MA, NUS Corporation, EPA Work Assignment No. 04-1L32, July, 1991.

16) Personal communication with Project Manager, Massachusetts Department of Environmental Protection, March 3, 1993.

17)
Toxicological Profile for Trichloroethylene prepared by Syracuse Research Corporation for the Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry, USPHS, October 1989.

18)
Toxicological Profile for 1,2-Dichloroethenes prepared by Syracuse Research Corporation for the Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry, USPHS, December 1990.

19) Toxicological Profile for Arsenic prepared by Life Systems Inc. for the Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry, USPHS, March 1989.

20)
Draft Toxicological Profile for 1,1,1-Trichloroethane prepared by Syracuse Research Corporation for the Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry, USPHS, December 1990.

21)
Pregnancy Outcomes in Women Potentially Exposed to Solvent Contaminated Drinking Water in San Jose, California, Wrench, M. et.al, Amer. J. of Epi., Vol. 131 (2) pp 283-300, 1990.

22) Toxicological Profile for Lead prepared by Syracuse Research Corporation, for the Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry, USPHS, April 1989.

23)
Toxicological Profile for Methylene Chloride prepared by Life Systems Inc. for the Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry, USPHS, April 1989.

24) Site Analysis at Groveland Wells and Haverhill Municipal Landfill Site, Groveland, Massachusetts, United States Environmental Protection Agency, Environmental Monitoring Systems Laboratory, Las Vegas, Nevada, USEPA Document # TS-PIC-85053.

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Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry, 1825 Century Blvd, Atlanta, GA 30345
Contact CDC: 800-232-4636 / TTY: 888-232-6348

Department of Health and Human Services

1)	Supplemental Management of Migration Remedial Investigation Report. Groveland Wells Site, Groveland, Massachusetts, prepared by NUS Corporation, February 1991.
2)	Remedial Investigation for the Groveland Wells Site, Groveland, Massachusetts, Volume I, prepared for NUS Corporation, Document PD-105-020, prepared by Environmental Research and Technology Inc., June 1985
3)	Final Phase I Supplemental Remedial Investigation Report, Valley Manufactured Products Co. Inc., Groveland Resources Corporation, Groveland, Massachusetts, M. Anthony Lally Associates, Consulting Environmental Engineers, North Andover, Massachusetts, July 1988.
4)	Valley Manufactured Products Company Endangerment Assessment Final Report prepared by Allied Technologies Corporation, Bedford, MA, for Planning Research Corporation, Chicago, IL, September, 1987
5)	Personal communication with Remedial Project Manager, Groveland Wells site, USEPA, August 8, 1991.
6)	Personal communication with Project Manager, Massachusetts Department of Environmental Protection, August 9, 1991.
7)	Personal communication with the Chairperson, West Newbury Water Commission, August 12, 1991
8)	Personal communication with Chairperson, Groveland Board of Health, July 24, 1991 and August 5, 1991.
9)	Special Analysis of Data, Commonwealth of Massachusetts, Department of Environmental Quality Engineering (February 23, 1976-June 14, 1979). U.S. Environmental Protection Agency Administrative Record for the Management of Migration, Operable Unit #1 of the Groveland Site, Item #: 9.7.63, 1991.
10)	Well Data Analysis, Commonwealth of Massachusetts, Department of Environmental Quality Engineering (September 27, 1979). U.S. Environmental Protection Agency Administrative Record for the Management of Migration, Operable Unit #1 of the Groveland Site, Item #: 9.7.106, 1991.
11)	Data Management Task for Valley Manufactured Products Company, Groveland, Massachusetts, Draft Final Report, prepared for United States Environmental Protection Agency, prepared by Planning Research Corporation, Chicago, Illinois, July 1987.
12)	Evaluation of Water Supply/Demand Situation, Groveland, MA, Environmental Research and Technology Inc., Concord, MA, prepared for NUS corporation and United States Environmental Protection Agency, Document #: D105-110, June, 1985.
13)	Memorandum from Groveland Wells Site Manager, NUS Corporation, Wilmington, MA, to Groveland Wells site Remedial Project Manager, USEPA, Region I, Boston, MA, re: Analytical Results for Residential Well and Surface Water Discharge Samples, Groveland Wells site, W.A. No. 04-1632, Date: September 23, 1991.
14)	Toxicological Profile for Vinyl Chloride, prepared by Syracuse Research Corporation for the Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry, USPHS, August 1989.
15)	Supplemental Management of Migration Feasibility Study Report, Groveland Wells Site, Groveland MA, NUS Corporation, EPA Work Assignment No. 04-1L32, July, 1991.
16)	Personal communication with Project Manager, Massachusetts Department of Environmental Protection, March 3, 1993.
17)	Toxicological Profile for Trichloroethylene prepared by Syracuse Research Corporation for the Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry, USPHS, October 1989.
18)	Toxicological Profile for 1,2-Dichloroethenes prepared by Syracuse Research Corporation for the Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry, USPHS, December 1990.
19)	Toxicological Profile for Arsenic prepared by Life Systems Inc. for the Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry, USPHS, March 1989.
20)	Draft Toxicological Profile for 1,1,1-Trichloroethane prepared by Syracuse Research Corporation for the Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry, USPHS, December 1990.
21)	Pregnancy Outcomes in Women Potentially Exposed to Solvent Contaminated Drinking Water in San Jose, California, Wrench, M. et.al, Amer. J. of Epi., Vol. 131 (2) pp 283-300, 1990.
22)	Toxicological Profile for Lead prepared by Syracuse Research Corporation, for the Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry, USPHS, April 1989.
23)	Toxicological Profile for Methylene Chloride prepared by Life Systems Inc. for the Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry, USPHS, April 1989.
24)	Site Analysis at Groveland Wells and Haverhill Municipal Landfill Site, Groveland, Massachusetts, United States Environmental Protection Agency, Environmental Monitoring Systems Laboratory, Las Vegas, Nevada, USEPA Document # TS-PIC-85053.