The U.S. Environmental Agency Tuesday announced the completion of construction activities for the cleanup of the North Penn 2 Superfund Site in Hatfield, Montgomery County.

The construction complete is an important milestone in protecting human health and the long-term goal of restoring contaminated groundwater to drinking water quality.

The soil, sediment and groundwater at the site were contaminated with trichloroethylene (TCE) and with metals including arsenic, cadmium and chromium. If left unchecked, contamination would have continued to pollute the groundwater, potentially exposing people and ecological receptors to harmful chemicals.

The North Penn Area 2 Superfund Site comprises 87 acres of the former Ametek facility. From 1963 to 1986, Ametek manufactured precision springs, reels, and measuring and controlling apparatus using TCE as a degreasing solvent.

In 1986, the North Penn Water Authority detected TCE and other volatile organic compounds in on-site and off-site monitoring wells. Further investigations revealed that soil, sediment and groundwater contamination at the site presented a significant risk to both human health and the environment. In 1989, the EPA added the North Penn 2 site to the federal Superfund list.

Under EPA oversight, the former owner of the property, Ametek removed nearly 1,200 cubic yards of contaminated soil and sediment. As part of the cleanup Ametek also upgraded the existing pumping system, designed to collect and convey contaminated groundwater to a local treatment plant.

All work done by Ametek was monitored by the EPA to ensure that the cleanup was done properly and safely. Under Superfund law, EPA will conduct a review of the cleanup every five years to ensure that the work done at the site remains protective of human health and the environment.

10/15/2012