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NPL Site Narrative for Newmark Ground Water Contamination
NEWMARK GROUND WATER CONTAMINATION
San Bernardino, California
Federal Register Notice: March 31, 1989Conditions at proposal (June 24, 1988): The four municipal supply wells of Newmark Well Field are in an area of approximately 700 square feet bounded by 48th Street, Magnolia Drive, Reservoir Drive, and the San Bernardino County Flood Control Channel in the Muscoy area north of San Bernardino, San Bernardino County, California. The San Bernardino Municipal Water Department was forced to close the four wells in the early 1980s when they were found to be contaminated with high levels of halogenated organic chemicals, including tetrachloroethylene, also known as perchloroethylene (PCE), and trichloroethylene (TCE).
An August 1986 report by a consultant to the California Regional Water Quality Control Board identified possible contaminant sources. A midnight dumping operation from the late 1950s to early 1960s appears to be the most likely source of contamination. It is approximately 300 feet upgradient of the Newmark wells. The California Department of Health Services is installing air stripping towers to remove contaminants from ground water. The towers are scheduled to be in operation in mid-1988.
An additional 10 municipal wells in San Bernardino have also been retired from service due to PCE/TCE contamination. An apparent hydrogeologic barrier, the Pelona Schist outcrop of the Shandin Hills, suggests that contamination of these 10 wells is originating from different sources.
The 14 municipal wells that have already been retired from service served 25 percent of the city's total population, and additional wells are also threatened. The San Bernardino wells supply 80,000 people in the cities of San Bernardino and Loma Linda, and the loss of any additional wells could leave some areas without water. The municipal supply wells for Riverside also lie directly downgradient. No alternative water sources are currently available.
Status (March 31, 1989): The air stripping towers are now in operation.
For more information about the hazardous substances identified in this narrative summary, including general information regarding the effects of exposure to these substances on human health, please see the Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry (ATSDR) ToxFAQs. ATSDR ToxFAQs can be found on the Internet at http://www.atsdr.cdc.gov/toxfaq.html or by telephone at 1-888-42-ATSDR or 1-888-422-8737.