Adelaide groundwater contamination scandal spreads to large new areas of Glenelg East and Edwardstown
ADELAIDE’S groundwater contamination scandal continues to spread with large new areas of two suburbs to be assessed for potentially poisonous vapour.
LARGE new areas of Edwardstown and Glenelg East to be assessed for potentially poisonous vapour as Adelaide’s groundwater contamination scandal continues to spread.
The tests are for the chemical trichlorethene (TCE), the industrial solvent spreading in groundwater which saw homes evacuated in Clovelly Park.
Of those evacuated homes, 25 are due to be demolished by the end of the year.
The Environmental Protection Authority has written to residents in southeastern Edwardstown advising them the area being checked in Edwardstown has significantly expanded, to an area bounded by Dunloran Rd, Adelaide Tce and Albert St.
The EPA had run an assessment program between April and August in the vicinity of two industrial properties on Arabrie and Erudina Aves.
These identified TCE in groundwater and soil vapour but more assessments to find the extent of the contamination is now required.
Work will involve sinking bores and taking samples from existing bores.
A ‘human health risk assessment report’ will be compiled and results are expected to be available in March 2016.
In Glenelg East, the EPA undertook an environmental assessment program in the vicinity of the Glenelg Dry Cleaners site on Cliff Street, Glenelg East, between April and July.
This now is being extended to an area bounded by Farr, Rugless, Wyatt and Diagonal Rd, where new sampling bores will be drilled.
Results from these tests are expected to be available in February 2016.
In both cases residents are advised not to use bore water for any purpose.
The solvent was once routinely dumped allowing it to seep into groundwater but can rise up as potentially poisonous vapour.
Melissa McNab, 38, of Ascot Park lives on Deloraine Road, within the November 2015 Assessment Area.
She said she received some information about the water and testing, but “skimmed over it” because she was busy during exam time.
“If it’s going to be an issue like Clovelly Park it’s definitely a concern,” she said.
“If we’re going to have contamination, where people were moving away because of the water there, it definitely would have an impact on land values.”
Ms McNab spends most of her time at home, where she runs a personal training business and a busy household with four children aged 12 to 18. She was particularly concerned about potential human health risks.
“That doesn’t make me feel very good at the moment,” she said. “I have four children so I’m a bit concerned.”
The big family also has lots of pets to take care of, including a dog, two cats, a turtle and fish in a pond.
WHAT LIES BENEATH
By Brad Crouch
OUT of sight, out of mind. In years gone by it was legal, acceptable and routine to dump industrial chemicals such as the industrial cleaner trichlo-roethene (TCE). Pour it on waste ground, let it seep in and forget about it.
The Environmental Protection Authority says: “From the 1960s to the 1980s, the recommended method of disposal for such ... agents was to pour them on to the soil and allow them to evaporate.”
It was a cheap and easy solution for a generation past but it is now coming back to haunt the generation present.
The chief “zombie” is TCE. An effective degreaser, it had a wide variety of industrial uses, then was dumped
But TCE did not just fade away. It seeped into groundwater, which was an effective way of silently spreading.
In some cases it now rises from the depths as vapour, ready to cause health problems, including cancer, if allowed to gather indoors at high concentrations.
At Clovelly Park, the problem was identified only after a private contractor conducted tests. It alerted the EPA, families were evacuated and 25 homes are likely to be demolished.
In suburbs across Adelaide the EPA now is trying to assess the extent of subterranean contamination and is checking homes to see if vapour is at dangerous levels.
This depends on house construction and ventilation — whether vapour can get into the building then build up to dangerous levels.
Existing assessment zones in Edwardstown and Glenelg East were significantly expanded this week as officials try to assess contamination.
Bores are being sunk to check groundwater and residents are advised not to use bore water, especially for watering backyard food crops.
Environmental Protection Authority science director Peter Dolan said it was difficult to trace the source of the pollution in an area such as Beverley, where eight households were offered relocation because of suspected high vapour levels. None took it up and subsequent tests found the levels were acceptable.
“A number of companies operated in the Beverley industrial precinct over a long period of time, although most are now no longer there, so it is difficult to determine who has contributed to the groundwater contamination and to what extent,” Mr Dolan said.
Cheryl Boyce, 62, was evacuated from her home of 26 years in Ash Ave, Clovelly Park, because of poisonous vapour rising from contaminated groundwater.
She has been campaigning for long-term health checks for displaced residents, but SA Health says there will be no long-term monitoring.
“Officials have washed their hands of us now that we have been moved on,” she said. “It’s being swept under the carpet.”
SA Health wrote to Ms Boyce saying long-term exposure to TCE is linked to cancers, but also stated that Clovelly Park residents were relocated as a precaution.
“SA Health has not specifically collected, nor does it intend to collect, medical data from past or present residents potentially impacted by the Clovelly Park groundwater and soil vapour plume,” the letter states.
1Beverley-Woodville West and South Findon-Allenby Gardens
In 2006, the EPA was advised of TCE contamination at a former industrial site.
Varying concentrations of TCE have been detected in groundwater and soil vapour samples. The EPA is planning the next stage of assessment
2Edwardstown
Contamination from TCE on two industrial sites identified through a previous testing program undertaken by the site owner. Assessment area expanded to southeastern area this month, results from samples taken from bores are expected in March.
3Clovelly Park-Mitchell Park
In 2008, elevated concentrations of TCE were found in the groundwater and soil vapour. More than 20 residents moved, 23 homes are due for demolition and the assessment area has been extended to Mitchell Park. Four potential sources between South Rd and the Tonsley rail corridor have been identified and Renewal SA, now responsible for the area, is doing further assessments.
4Elizabeth (GMH)
GMH conducted crawl space testing at 20 residential properties in August 2012, and more tests at the same properties in February 2013. These identified tetrachloroethylene (PCE) and TCE at levels below the site-specific health screening criteria. The EPA’s Peter Dolan said GM Holden continues to take all necessary steps to deal with this situation.
5Glenelg East
In April 2015 the EPA commenced an assessment program around the Glenelg Dry Cleaners site on Cliff St, Glenelg East. The report concluded the full extent of contamination in the area has not yet been determined, as concentrations of TCE and tetrachloroethene (PCE) have been detected at boundaries of the assessment area.
SA Health has reviewed the report and provided preliminary advice indicating there are no immediate health concerns. SA Health and EPA say further assessment work is required to complete a risk assessment for the area, expected to be available in February.
6Hendon
Since December 2014, two assessments have been undertaken as part of investigations into contamination originating from the Hendon industrial precinct at the corner of West Lakes Boulevard and Tapleys Hill Rd.
These found industrial chemicals present in groundwater and soil vapour including TCE and tetra-chloroethene (PCE). The EPA says there is no health risk to occupants of residential properties that do not have a basement but further work is required.
7 Keswick
The EPA was notified of site contamination in soil at a former Kelvinator Australia industrial site at Keswick during redevelopment in November 2013, triggering further testing of groundwater and soil vapour.
A range of chemicals has been detected, and a site contamination consultant has been engaged by Kelvinator.
8Marleston
Assessments at the former Marleston TAFE have been done since 2010 to determine the extent of groundwater contamination. Chemicals identified in groundwater are TCE, perchlor-oethene (PCE) and dichloro-ethene (DCE) in concentrations above the World Health Organisation drinking water guidelines. More assessments will be undertaken.