PUBLIC HEALTH ASSESSMENT
ODESSA SUPER SITE
(a/k/a SPRAGUE ROAD GROUND WATER PLUME)
ECTOR, ECTOR COUNTY, TEXAS
The Sprague Road Groundwater Plume National Priorities List site, consists of three plumes of chromium contaminated water just outside the northern city limits of Odessa, Ector County, Texas. The chromium contamination in the groundwater is due to the past operations of three separate chrome plating facilities: Leigh Metal Plating, National Chromium Corporation, and Machine and Casting, Inc. Each facility operated during the late 1970s until the late 1980s and early 1990s.
In September 1993 individuals whose wells were identified as having chromium concentrations above the drinking water standard were connected to an alternative water source. Some individuals opted not to switch to an alternative source and continue to use their well water for drinking and other household purposes. Since September 1993, additional wells have been identified with elevated chromium concentrations; therefore, further action to provide an alternate water source is needed until the chromium in the groundwater can be lowered to a safe level. The chromium in the groundwater is a public health hazard to people who continue to use the chromium-contaminated water wells for drinking. TDH and ATSDR have recommended that individuals using chromium contaminated water be encouraged to switch to an alternative source of drinking water.
Chromium in soil at Leigh Metal Plating Inc. presents a potential public health hazard. Although this facility is surrounded by a fence, access to the site is not entirely restricted. Access to the site is possible through the main office building which appeared to have been broken open. TDH and ATSDR have recommended that institutional controls be employed to further restrict access to this facility.
There is a five-foot pit on the National Chromium Corporation site that could present a physical hazard to children trespassing on the site. TDH and ATSDR have recommended that access to this site be restricted.
Citizens raised questions about the safety of their drinking water and whether vegetables grown
using the well water for watering the garden were safe to eat. Other health concerns included
whether the site could be responsible for breast cancer, kidney health problems, diabetes, or
bronchial asthma. Detailed answers to these questions are in the Community Health Concerns
section of this public health assessment.
The Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry (ATSDR) was established under the mandate of the Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act (CERCLA) of 1980. This act, also known as the "Superfund" law, authorized the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to conduct clean-up activities at hazardous waste sites. EPA was directed to compile a list of sites considered hazardous to public health. This list is termed the National Priorities List (NPL). The 1986 Superfund Amendments and Reauthorization Act (SARA) directed ATSDR to prepare a Public Health Assessment (PHA) for each NPL site. In 1990, federal facilities were included on the NPL. (Note: Appendix A provides a listing of abbreviations and acronyms used in this report.)
In conducting the PHA, three types of information are used: environmental data, community health concerns and health outcome data. The environmental data are reviewed to determine whether people in the community might be exposed to hazardous materials from the NPL facility. If people are being exposed to these chemicals, ATSDR will determine whether the exposure is at levels which might cause harm. Community health concerns are collected to determine whether health concerns expressed by community members could be related to exposure to chemicals released from the NPL facility. If the community raises concerns about specific diseases in the community, health outcome data (information from state and local databases or health care providers) can be used to address the community concerns. Also, if ATSDR finds that harmful exposures have occurred, health outcome data can be used to determine if illnesses are occurring which could be associated with the hazardous chemicals released from the NPL facility.
In accordance with the Interagency Cooperative Agreement between ATSDR and the Texas
Department of Health (TDH), ATSDR and TDH have prepared this PHA for the Sprague Road
Groundwater Plume NPL site. This PHA presents conclusions about whether exposures are
occurring, and whether a health threat is present. In some cases, it is possible to determine
whether exposures occurred in the past; however, often a lack of appropriate historical data
makes it difficult to quantify past exposures. If it is found that a threat to public health exists,
recommendations are made to stop or reduce the threat to public health.
The Sprague Road Groundwater Plume Site is just outside the northern city limits of Odessa, Ector County, Texas (Figure 1). The total population within a four-mile radius of the site is estimated to be 18,600 people [1]. The population within a ½ mile of the site is approximately 400 and the population within one mile of the site is approximately 950.
The site consists of three plumes of chromium contaminated groundwater within one-mile of each other (Figure 2a). The largest of the three plumes is associated with the Leigh Metal Plating Inc. facility; the next largest plume is associated with the National Chromium Corporation; and the smallest of the three plumes is associated with Machine and Casting, Inc. The Leigh Metal Plating plume extends east to Beeson Avenue (Figures 2a and 2b); most of this plume is under the area intersecting Mary Francis Street and West 81st Street. The National Chromium Corporation plume extends southeast under the area where Mary Francis Street runs into Stevens Road. The Machine and Casting, Inc. plume extends under the area intersected by Hillmont and Sprague Road.
The area around the site is a mixture of light industrial, commercial, and residential. The neighborhood is of low to middle socioeconomic status. The housing in the area ranges from large brick homes to small wooden structures or mobile homes. Within a mile of these facilities are numerous domestic, industrial, and public water supply wells (see Appendix B). Although many people now are connected to an alternative water system, some people within the chromium plume area still use the groundwater for domestic purposes.
The Sprague Road site was proposed to the National Priorities List of Superfund Sites in April of 1997. In the Summer of 1996 EPA removed some of the waste sources from National Chromium and from Leigh Metal Plating. EPA did additional groundwater sampling around all three sites in October 1996 [2]. The Sprague site was finalized to the National Priorities List in September of 1997 [3]. Below is a brief description of each of the facilities associated with the site.
Site History
Leigh Metal Plating Inc.
The Leigh Metal Plating, Inc., facility is approximately 3.5 miles northwest of downtown Odessa.
The facility is on two tracts of land at 2725 West 81st Street on 3.6 acres (of which 2.7 acres are
affected (Figure 3) [2]. Another facility called Gulf Nuclear is 300 feet east of Leigh Metal
Plating. Leigh Metal Plating (LMP) was operated as a machine shop and chrome plating facility
from 1976 until 1992. Previous land use is not known [4]. The main operations consisted of
repairing, and electroplating oil field equipment. The facility generated chromic acid rinsewater
and sludge from the electroplating of metal parts. The chrome-plated parts were then rinsed over
a plating tank and given a final rinse over a concrete drain. The chromic acid rinsewater which
was generated was channeled to a 4,200 gallon storage tank via an in-ground sump and pipeline.
The rinsewater was then allowed to evaporate within the storage tank and then the remaining
sludge was put in drums and hauled to an off-site disposal location [4]. Chromic acid, chromic
acid rinse water and metal grindings were stored and disposed of at this location until 1992.
In Spring of 1984 an unknown amount of chromic acid rinse water was released from two above ground chromic acid storage tanks inside the chrome plating shop. The contaminated water drained into the soil under the plating shop via a large crack in the concrete floor and gaps between the metal walls and concrete floor. In an attempt to clean up the contaminated soil, LMP excavated about 211 cubic yards of this chromium contaminated soil from beneath and along the west side of the chrome plating building. The contaminated soil was properly disposed of at the Teco hazardous waste landfill in Robstown, TX.
In June 1985 the Texas Water Commission (TWC; predecessor to the Texas Natural Resource Conservation Commission [TNRCC]) collected a groundwater sample from the facility 300 feet east of LMP at Gulf Nuclear, 2713 West 81st Street. The sample contained a total chromium concentration of 0.51 mg/L. On August 1, 1991 TWC collected a sample from a concerned citizen's drinking water well located near the facility and found chromium at a concentration of 2.4 mg/L; a concentration 24 times greater than the drinking water standard of 0.1 mg/L. In August 1991 the TWC collected water samples from thirteen private water wells near and downgradient of LMP and found chromium in seven of these wells at concentrations ranging from 0.08 to 5.24 mg/L [5]. An emergency order was issued on August 14, 1991 that required LMP to provide bottled water to the affected residents until an alternate supply could be arranged. The affected wells were closed and in September 1993 the residents whose wells had chromium concentrations above 0.1 mg/L were connected to the municipal water supply [3]; one resident chose not to be connected to city water.
Groundwater and surface soil were re-sampled by the TNRCC in April 1995. These results are
presented in the Environmental Contamination section of this report. In the Fall of 1996, EPA
removed approximately 6,620 gallons of waste from LMP. Water wells were sampled in October
1996 and chromium contamination was found in wells 1,400 feet east of LMP near Beeson
Avenue [3]. These data are presented in more detail in the Environmental Contamination section
of this report.
National Chromium Corporation Machine and Casting, Inc.
The 2.5 acre National Chromium Corporation (NCC) facility on 2626 Stevens Road is
approximately 850 feet south of LMP. NCC operated from 1979 to 1993. Industrial compressor
engine cylinders were electrolytically chrome plated at this facility. Chromic acid, muriatic acid,
and 1,1,1-trichloroethane were used in this operation. In May 1996, TNRCC detected elevated
total chromium concentrations in a private drinking water well immediately south of the facility.
These results are presented in the Environmental Contamination section of this report. In the
Summer of 1996 [2] EPA removed 57.9 tons of sludge, 20.3 tons of liquid waste and
approximately 2,600 tons of contaminated soil from the property (Figure 4). In October of 1996 EPA collected groundwater samples from nearby water wells. Chromium contamination has been
detected in wells 300 feet south of the facility past Stevens Road [3].
Machine and Casting, Inc. (M&C) is at 8410 Loop 338 (or 8410 Sprague) about 1,500 feet north
of the Leigh Metal Plating facility. The area includes about 2 acres [2]. This is the smallest of the
three facilities and has the smallest chromium contamination plume. M&C operated from 1978
until August 1988. For a short time (about a 2 month period) M&C had a small chrome
electroplating setup; however, the main work at the shop was repairing compressor engines and
manufacturing compressor rods and pistons [2]. As of June 1988 wastes generated at M&C
included used oil, used solvents, metal scraps, metal shavings, spent sands and spent caustic soda [6].
The M&C property includes a main process building, with a chrome plating room attached to the north side of the building (Figure 5). In June 1980 TWC tested liquid from an abandoned chrome plating vat and identified a hydrocarbon based oil contaminated with chromium (1,940 mg/kg). The floor and lower walls of this room were stained from the chrome plating solutions and in June 1980, the TWC observed a 3 foot by 3 foot area of contaminated soil on the north side of the building. The soil was found to contain total chromium at a concentration of 1,500 mg/kg; the chromium was found to be highly leachable.
In June 1988 a large hole was observed in the concrete floor of the chrome plating room. Soil from the hole was found to contain chromium at a concentration of 45,800 mg/kg [6]. Also in June 1988 TWC discovered a spill of waste attributed to M&C . Five drums, four of which were contaminated with a rare solvent, and contaminated soil were found. The waste had a pH of 5.0 and chromium concentration of 10,000 mg/kg. In August 1988 TWC noticed an on-site spill at the northeast corner of M&C and recommended additional cleanup. By November 1988 the property owner had removed much of the waste and contaminated soil from the site (or staged it for disposal at the Texas Ecologist facility in Robstown, Texas) [6]. There is no information in the records to indicate that the 3 by 3 foot contaminated area was ever remediated. In March 1989 one nearby private drinking water well was tested and was found to have contain chromium at concentrations 30 to 40 times greater than the drinking water standard [6]. In 1990 another well (2723 Hillmont) was found to contain chromium at a concentration eight times greater than the drinking water standard. This well is 150 feet from the closed chrome plating room at M&C and is used to wash oil field equipment. The wash water goes onto the ground or into a septic drainfield [6]. February 26, 1990 the users of both wells were advised not to drink the water. The site was fenced in July of 1991. EPA sampled water wells around this facility in October of 1996 and chromium was detected in a private drinking water well immediately north of the facility. Chromium also was detected in water wells 400 feet east of M&C near Mary Francis Street [3].
In 1993, four to five people worked at LMP. It is not clear how many people worked at NCC . Possibly six individuals worked at M&C. Currently, all three sites are inactive with no on-site workers.
A representative of the Texas Department of Health, visited the three facilities on March 4 and 5, 1998. TDH was accompanied by the EPA project manager for the site, the community relations coordinator, and a regional representative of the TNRCC. Several hours were spent examining each of the three sites. Several additional hours were spent talking with residents living near these facilities to update information regarding their well water use.
LMP includes an office building, a machine shop, a plating shop and a concrete-lined fiberglass storage tank (see Figure 3). In the past the plating shop housed two chrome plating tanks and in-ground sump which directed chromic acid rinsewater to the storage tank. The storage tank is in the southeast end of the plating facility [4]. The LMP site is surrounded by a six foot barbed wire topped fence; however, the buildings and grounds of the site are accessible through the main office building which appeared to have been broken open, possibly by trespassers or vandals; gang graffiti was marked on the main office building.
Behind the plating building the scrubber was still standing and the filter material was black. Crushed barrels were in chrome plating vats in the chrome plating building. There was a large excavation under the foundation of this building where the owner had attempted to remove the chromium contaminated soil. The area under the building was shored up with beams. Part of this hole extends to the outside of the plating building. Mud cracks and yellow staining of the soils along the walls of this excavation provided evidence that water would seep into these soils during wet weather. A lean to structure and berm were put in to stop this. Weeds have grown up over the property to the west. The adjacent land use to the north, south, and east of the site is industrial and residential. Gulf Nuclear, Inc borders on the east; there are radiation hazard signs on its fence. To the west there is unoccupied, fenced land. Surface runoff during the infrequent rainfall events is to the north into a drainage ditch along West 81st Street [5].
We spoke with people up and down West 81st Street from LMP; most individuals reported that they are on city water and no longer use well water, even for gardening. We spoke with two individuals in the 2700 block of West 81st Street who opted not to get city water. One only uses his well water for bathing and showering. This well was evaluated by TDH in August 1995 [7]. The well water at the other household had a chromium concentration of 0.3 mg/L (three times greater than the drinking water standard). The individual living at this location has indicated that drinking the water has not caused any health problems.
The NCC site was not fenced and there was abundant evidence of trespassing and vandalism both inside and outside of the building (garbage, old furniture, food trash). The garage door on the northeast side of the building was shot up and dented (apparently from something having been driven into it). Inside the building there were two dead dogs and a dead skunk in the 5 foot deep pit at the west end of the building. The animals either were thrown into the pit or somehow fell in and became trapped.
On the outside of the building, surface soil and portions of the concrete slab are stained bright yellow (Figure 4). To the north northwest of the building is the former pit area and drainfield. In 1996 EPA removed and replaced yards of contaminated soil with clean soil.
The nearest occupied residence has three water wells (one of which belonged to NCC ); two of the wells are operational. The resident is not on city water and uses one of the wells for drinking and other household purposes. The well that the resident uses contains chromium at levels below the drinking water standard; however, the other two wells are above. This residence uses a drip irrigation system for his garden and trees. The resident reported that the next closest residence immediately east of him uses groundwater for drinking; however, the chromium concentration was below detection in that well during the 1996 sampling event.
Although the M&C facility is partially fenced, it is easily accessible (Figure 5). Junk, including garbage, clothes, and oily drums, had been dumped at the back of the building and an old car had been abandoned at the back of the property in the northwest corner. The water well behind the building was open to the air; the pump had been pulled and the well was open at ground level, creating an opening for further groundwater contamination. The EPA project manager indicated that this well was about 100 feet deep. One room in the M&C building was chrome stained and the top of this room was open to the outside. Old clothing and trash were evidence that trespassers had been in this room. EPA remarked that the operation may have disposed of chromium waste through a septic drainfield and that is why there is not more obvious evidence of chromium staining. In an area where barrels had been stored outside, tall grass obscured any evidence of staining.
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