Groundwater at the site is contaminated; however,
One completed exposure pathway was identified
this water is not used as a drinking water source.
in the November 2002 public health assessment:
Therefore, no exposures are occurring, and
People were exposed to water from contaminated
no public health hazards exist from on-site
drinking water wells off-site by ingestion,
inhalation, or absorption. Three potential exposure
pathways also were identified: off-site surface
drinking water at 13 private wells near the site.
water and springs, on-site drinking water wells, on-
site surface soil, and on-site sediment.
be determined for nine other private drinking
ATSDR also concluded that adverse cancer and
water wells because data are lacking. Therefore,
noncancer health effects are unlikely near the site
ATSDR agrees that planned sampling at three of
those wells should continue and encourages plans
drinking water occurred in the past. Exposure to
be made to sample the remaining four. Because
sources other than the site have the potential to
by the installation of carbon filtration units at
residences where exposures exceed the maximum
wells, ATSDR suggests that private well owners
contaminant level.
regularly test the water from their wells to ensure
ATSDR made four recommendations in the public
that the water is safe to drink.
health assessment for this site: (1) provide a more
The U.S. Army is talking with Johnson County
permanent solution for safe drinking water to
about turning over the land to the county, and
residences near the site with contaminated well
the county plans to turn it over to a developer.
water, (2) continue periodic monitoring of the
The developer will have to continue cleanup
efforts and plans to make an industrial park out
water wells outside the plume do not become
of the land. The Kansas Department of Health
contaminated by migration of the plume, (3) take
and Environment and the U.S. Environmental
appropriate preventive measures to mitigate
Protection Agency (EPA) are part of those talks,
exposure if these wells become contaminated, and
and those two agencies will continue monitored
(4) inform trespassers and present workers on the
cleanup.
site that they should avoid unnecessary contact
with site soils and sediment.
Tri-County Public Airport--In November 2002,
ATSDR completed its final release public health
A health consultation is a written or oral response
assessment for the proposed Tri-County Public
from ATSDR to a specific request for information
Airport NPL site in Delevan. The site is a former
about health risks related to a specific site, chemical
World War II Army airfield. During its peak
release, or hazardous material. A health consultation is
operating period, the airfield consisted of more
a more limited response than a public health assess-
than 300 buildings and housed approximately
ment is. To date, 244 documented health consultations
2,000 personnel. The airfield had a wastewater
have been conducted at 61 sites in Kansas, including
treatment plant, a 200,000-gallon fuel storage tank,
the following recent examples.
a warehouse area, barracks, and a recreation area.
Chemical Commodities Inc. (CCI)--This site,
The airfield was officially declared surplus in 1946
which occupies about 11/2 acres, is in a largely
and deeded to the city of Herrington in 1948.
residential area of Olathe. From 1951 until 1989
Since 1948, the site has been leased to several
the facility stored surplus or outdated chemicals.
companies. Operations at the site have included
In January 2003, EPA asked ATSDR for technical
manufacturing of farm implements, black powder,
samples from crawl spaces and living spaces of
and roofing materials. Most of the buildings and
eight homes near the site. ATSDR's March 2003
structures have been removed, but two hangars, a
health consultation evaluated those samples to
water tower, several water supply wells, and a few
address EPA's response action decision to install
small buildings remain.
ventilation systems and conduct additional air
sampling in the affected areas.
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