[CPEO-MEF] MEDIA RELEASE: BAAP Pollution Threatens Merrimac Wells - WDNR to Host Public Informational Meeting

[Laura Olah]

January 12, 2009
 
PRESS RELEASE
For Immediate Release

For more information contact:
Laura Olah, CSWAB (608) 643-3124
                                                               

BADGER POLLUTION THREATENS MERRIMAC WELLS
WDNR to Host Public Informational Meeting

The Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources (WDNR) will be holding an open
house at the Merrimac town hall on January 21 to discuss groundwater
contamination in and around the northeast corner of Badger Army Ammunition
Plant.  New groundwater monitoring wells installed by the Army in the
Weigand’s Bay area have detected explosives above health-based thresholds. 
  
However, according to letters sent to rural Merrimac residents this week “no
private drinking water well water samples in the area contained
dinitrotoluene (DNT) compounds above or near the associated drinking water
standards or health advisory levels.”  

CSWAB requested the public meeting to help inform and involve nearby
residents.  The community-led group recently submitted formal
recommendations to the Army seeking a proactive remedy to assure that
additional contamination does not migrate to groundwater and that existing
groundwater contamination does not move beyond the plant boundary.  

The primary source of contamination from the northeast corner of Badger is
the Deterrent Burning Grounds.  This site was used as a demolition debris
landfill and for open burning of deterrents, structural timbers, asphalt
shingles, and office waste.  Deterrent is an organic liquid containing
dibutyl phthalate and DNT used to modify the burning characteristics of
propellants.   In 2003 the Army installed a passive bioremediation system to
help break down residual subsurface soil contamination and then capped the
site. 

In other areas around Badger, DNT has moved with groundwater beyond the
plant boundary and has contaminated private drinking water wells.  Homes in
the Windings of Wisconsin subdivision in rural Prairie du Sac and the
Water’s Edge neighborhood on Gruber’s Grove Bay have been affected.
Groundwater monitoring wells have been installed in both neighborhoods and
are tested on a quarterly basis by the Army.  The Army also tests dozens of
private wells on a regular basis.  

Several years ago the Army replaced two private drinking water wells in
Water’s Edge when DNT, classified by EPA as a suspected human carcinogen,
was found above safe levels.  The new wells are providing safe water for
these homes.  However, contaminant levels in groundwater at Water’s Edge
continue to exceed health-based standards.  DNT has also been detected in a
nearby water well installed by the U.S. Dairy Forage Research Center for its
cattle.  

The open house will be held on Wednesday evening, January 21, 2009 from 6 to
8 pm at the Town of Merrimac Hall at S6911 State Highway 78 near Merry Mac’s
Campground.  The first hour of the open house will be informal.  The Army
and WDNR will make a presentation at 7 pm. 

-END-

Two .pdf files attached: 
WDNR letter to local residents and CSWAB formal comments to U.S. Army


--
Laura Olah, Executive Director
Citizens for Safe Water Around Badger
E12629 Weigand's Bay South
Merrimac, WI  53561
(608)643-3124
Email: info at cswab.org
Website: www.cswab.org
 

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