Eastern Santa Clara Sub-basin Groundwater Perchlorate Study - Santa Clarita, CA

02/13/2008 - Santa Clarita Public Notice Flyer - Corps to Install Monitoring Wells in Santa Clarita

Executive Summary:

In 2001, acting on a mandate from Congress, the Los Angeles District began a study to investigate the presence of perchlorates(ClO4-) in Santa Clarita, Calif. and to develop a long-term solution to the problem of the groundwater contamination it causes. While it is well documented that perchlorates and other potentially harmful chemicals exist in the groundwater, this study will attempt to determine:

the specific locations (depth and area) where the groundwater is contaminated;

the paths perchlorates and other chemicals followed to contaminate the water supply; and

the impact on groundwater beneath the areas suspected as the sources of the contamination.

In March 2002, USACE entered into a Feasibility Cost-Sharing Agreement (FCSA) with the local water agency, Castaic Lake Water Agency, as the nonfederal sponsor to address groundwater contamination in the Eastern Santa Clara Basin. The communities of Castaic, Canyon Country, Newhall, Saugus and Valencia make up the study area within the Santa Clarita Valley. These communities get their current water supply from a number of sources such as the Alluvial Aquifer, Saugus Formation and Imported State Project water.

Background Information:

In 1997, scientists detected perchlorate in four drinking water wells in Santa Clarita, Calif. The perchlorate(ClO4-)levels were at or exceeded California Department of Health Services standards. Based on these findings, water suppliers in the Santa Clara Valley ceased using the wells as sources of water. Records indicate that beginning in 1934, several companies used property near those wells to assemble, test, store and transport a variety of explosives, including dynamite, ammunition rounds, practice bombs, flares, signal cartridges, fireworks, igniters, detonators, fuses, boosters, gas generators, explosive bolts, tracer pellets, spin rockets, JATO rockets, sidewinder missiles and oil field explosives. These operations ceased in 1987.

From 1967 to 1999, the Whittaker Corporation owned property in the eastern Santa Clara Valley. During part of that time, it operated a 996-acre Whittaker-Bermite facility. The site is in Los Angeles County near the confluence of the Santa Clara River and the South Fork of the Santa Clara River, approximately two miles northeast of Newhall. In January 1999, Whittaker Corporation sold the property to the Santa Clara Valley LLC. Residential housing is located next to the southern and southwestern portions of the property.

The Corps’ involvement comes at a critical juncture in nationwide efforts to gauge and deal with the perchlorates. Up to 20 states, many of them in the West, contain sites with contamination levels higher than those recommended by new EPA guidelines. Several of the sites feed into aquifers and other sources of drinking water for heavily populated urban areas. The EPA has detected perchlorate in 284 drinking water sources in Los Angeles, San Bernardino and Riverside counties.

Perchlorate

Perchlorate is a component used in solid propellants for rockets, missiles and in fireworks. It originates as a contaminant in ground and surface water when the salts of ammonium, potassium, magnesium or sodium dissolve in water..

Although the EPA has not determined what levels of perchlorate are harmful or acceptable, the California Department of Health Safety has set a provisional action level of 4 micrograms per liter (ug/L) for perchlorate in drinking water.

The wells are located near a site where the assembly, storage, testing and transfer of explosives, munitions and propellants occurred. About 350 buildings on the property served munitions and administrative purposes. Initial data indicates that releases of perchlorate, volatile organic compounds (VOCs) and other chemicals of potential concern associated with those operations have impacted soil and groundwater at the site.

Numerous agencies and organizations conducted studies on the effects of perchlorate. Some indicate that perchlorates at high doses interfere with the ability of the thyroid gland to use iodine to produce thyroid hormones. Thyroid hormones are needed for normal prenatal and postnatal growth and development in children, and for normal metabolic function in adults.

Latest Updates:

Los Angeles District Fact Sheet

City of Santa Clarita Whittaker-Bermite Property Cleanup: http://www.santa-clarita.com/cityhall/pbs/planning/bermite.asp

Frequently Asked Questions:
Coming Soon!

Location and Maps:

The property is situated in Township 4 North, Range 16 West, Sections 23, 24, 25 and 26 of the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) 7.5-minute series topographic map titled “Newhall Quadrangle.” (link to map) The property extends to Soledad Canyon Road to the north and to an industrial park to the west.

Project map


Area map

Stakeholders:

Local community

U.S. Army Corps of Engineers
Kathy Anderson, Project Manager, 213-452-3989
Jeffrey Devine, Technical Project Manager, 213-452-3579
Jay Field, Public Affairs, 213-452-3920

Elected reps
U.S. Rep. Howard “Buck” McKeon (25th Dist), 661-254-2111
Geo. Runner, 36th Assembly District of California, 661-259-4516
Keith Richmond, 38th Assembly District of California, 818-368-3838

Agencies
California Department of Toxic Substances Control, Ken Baez, 818-551-2962
City of Santa Clarita
Newhall County Water District, Kenneth J. Petersen, 661-259-3610
Santa Clara Valley LLC
Santa Clarita Water Company, William J. Manetta, 661-259-2737
Valencia Water Company, Robert J. DiPrimio, 661-295-6501

Interest groups

Community Advisory Group (CAG)