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SURFACE & GROUNDWATER MANAGEMENT Omya is committed to maintain the quality of the groundwater in and around the Verpol plant site, and monitoring and testing indicates the efforts are succeeding. There are ten onsite monitoring wells and four other surface water monitoring stations distributed around the plant site, which are used to monitor groundwater flow and quality. As part of the application for Interim Certification, Omya must provide an evaluation “that the TMAs will not create an unreasonable risk to the public health nor be unreasonably destructive to the environment.” Over the years, Omya and its technical consultants have undertaken ongoing investigations of the effects of Omya’s operations on local groundwater. The sections below summarize the findings of those investigations and answer basic questions about the plant operation’s impacts on local groundwater.
WHAT IS GROUNDWATER? WHAT IS SURFACE WATER? Groundwater exists below ground and flows within and through the spaces between solids in soil, sand, silt, clay, and rocks. Much of the earth’s freshwater is stored as groundwater. Groundwater serves as the source of drinking water for Pittsford, Vermont (as well as almost half of the American population) and is replenished by rain and snowmelt. Surface water includes lakes, rivers, streams, and oceans. Groundwater can discharge into the surface water, or can return to the surface via wells, springs, or marshes. Surface water can recharge the groundwater through glacial soils and wetland complexes. Surface water and groundwater act together in a cyclical process – surface water evaporates and returns to the earth in the form of rain or snow, some of which filters into the groundwater, which then can drain back into the surface water. The principal body of surface water near the Verpol Plant is Otter Creek, which is located about half a mile east of the site. Smith Pond, which lies to the north and east of the site, also is a body of surface water in the near vicinity. This August 15, 2005 letter from the Department of Environmental Conservation validates the detection methodology used by Omya to test water samples for traces of flotation material in groundwater. In May of 2008, Omya installed additional monitoring wells in accordance with the revised monitoring plan presented and overseen by Geosyntec. Images from this event are provided below:
IS THE WATER AROUND THE VERPOL PLANT CONTAMINATED? No. Groundwater and surface water monitoring on-site and off-site demonstrate that the water is in compliance with the Vermont Water Quality Standards, 7/2/2000. WHAT ARE OMYA'S FUTURE PLANS FOR MAINTAINING GROUNDWATER QUALITY? As part of the application for Interim Certification, Omya has committed to an ongoing state-approved groundwater monitoring plan. The plan (see the following link) will include regular testing of on-site and off -site wells. Results from the monitoring will be submitted to the State Agency of Natural Resources and to the community. 08.15.05 - Groundwater Monitoring Plan (5.4MB) [.pdf] 12.22.05 Groundwater Sampling Report - Fall 2005 [.pdf] (13MB)
This Appendix to the Spring 2006 Monitoring report contains maps and field data, including Site maps, a Groundwater Elevation Contour Map, Water Elevation Data, Abutting Landowner Well Testing Permission Status, and On and Off-site Well Monitoring Data. This Appendix contains a laboratory report for groundwater samples that were analyzed by Endyne Inc. This Appendix provides summaries of groundwater testing broken down by individual chemicals in off-site groundwater, surface water, and on-site bedrock groundwater supplies. This Appendix provides another laboratory report for groundwater samples that were analyzed by Endyne Inc. 09.14.06 Addendum to Spring 2006 Monitoring Report [.pdf] (1MB)
This Appendix to the Second Addendum contains maps and data, including a resampling locations map, lab report documents, and chain of custody records. This Appendix contains a laboratory report for groundwater samples that were analyzed by Endyne Inc. This Appendix contains the report for analytical results for groundwater samples received on September 8, 2006 and analyzed by STL Sacramento for supplementary analysis via LC/MS. This Appendix contains the report for analytical results for groundwater samples received on September 27, 2006 and analyzed by STL Sacramento for supplementary analysis via LC/MS. The Appendix contains the results of Endyne’s evaluation of a variety of chemical constituents’ effect on Method AG-24 results. This Appendix contains a letter dated October 27, 2006 from STL Sacramento to Omya explaining the standard operating procedure for the LC/MS method they developed to measure the amount of flotation reagent in water. 01.15.07 Fall 2006 Monitoring Report [.pdf] (1.65MB) The Fall 2006 Groundwater Monitoring Report indicates the absence of Omya-related chemicals at all offsite sampling locations consistent with the supplemental Spring 2006 monitoring events.
The first appendix includes a series of maps, water elevation data, and sampling field data. This appendix contains well data summaries, as well as surface water chemistry data. Appendix 3 outlines a variety of on-site and off-site testing activities; including testing locations, testing dates, and testing results. The Endyne, Inc. Laboratory Sample Report is outlined in Appendix 4. The analytical sample results from STL Sacramento are provided in Appendix 5-1. STL Sacramento's TOHI test information including Data Review Checklists, Sample Reports, Compound Summary Reports, and Calibration Reports are available in Appendix 5-2. Appendix 6 includes Southern Analytical Laboratories, Inc.'s Laboratory Report. This appendix includes the Severn Trent Laboratories Laboratory Report. Additional analytical results and report prepared by STL Sacramento including Data Review Checklists, Sample Reports, Compound Summary Reports, and Calibration Reports are included in Appendix 7-2. 07.25.07 Press Release [.pdf] (37KB) The Press Release describes Omya's groundwater and surface water monitoring results submittal to the Vermont Department of Environmental Conservation 07.27.07 Spring 2007 Monitoring Report [.pdf] (2.2MB) This report presents the results of the Spring 2007 semi-annual groundwater and surface water testing conducted in accordance with Omya's Groundwater Monitoring Plan (Final revision April 18, 2007). Sampling was performed from May 29 to May 31, 2007.
12.21.07 Fall 2007 Monitoring Report [.pdf] (2.1MB) This report presents the results of the Fall 2007 semi-annual groundwater and surface water testing conducted in accordance with the Monitoring Plan (Revision December 18, 2007). Sampling was performed from October 15 to October 22, 2007.
Summary tables for water volatile and semi-volatile organics. Summary tables for water and other compounds of interest. Summary table for tailings solid composite sampling. TestAmerica South Burlington water data reports for sampling done on 10.15.07. TestAmerica West Sacramento water data reports for sampling done on 10.15.07. TestAmerica South Burlington water data reports for sampling done on 10.16.07. TestAmerica West Sacramento water data reports for sampling done on 10.16.07 and 10.17.07. TestAmerica South Burlington water data reports for sampling done on 10.18.07. TestAmerica West Sacramento water data reports for sampling done on 10.18.07. TestAmerica South Burlington water data reports for sampling done on 10.19.07. TestAmerica West Sacramento water data reports for sampling done on 10.19.07. 05.12.08 Revised Site Monitoring Plan [.pdf](1.3MB) This version of the monitoring plan incorporates final results and recommendations from the Section 5 Study (Cambridge Environmental and Geosyntec, 2008), comment requests contained in Vermont Department of Environmental Conservation letters to Omya dated (01/28/2008, 02/15/2008 and 03/13/2008), and recent discussions among the Section 5 Consultants, Omya and the Vermont Department of Environmental Conservation.
07.22.08 Spring 2008 Monitoring Report [.pdf] (5.8MB) This report presents the results of the Spring 2008 semi-annual groundwater and surface water testing conducted in accordance with Omya's Groundwater Monitoring Plan (Final revision March 20, 2008). Field work was performed from May 19 to May 27, 2008.
07.31.08 Spring 2008 Monitoring Report Presentation [.pdf] (3.3MB) This presentation was given by Geosyntec at the Stakeholder Meeting on July 31, 2008.DOES THE INTERIM CERTIFICATION PROCESS ASSESS GROUNDWATER? Yes, the Interim Certification application must demonstrate that Omya’s Verpol Plant complies with the state’s General Performance Standards. To do so, Omya must demonstrate that “an emission or discharge from the facility will not unduly harm public health and will have the least possible reasonable impact on the environment.” Omya demonstrated its compliance with this standard through groundwater modeling results and a fate and transport model, which was used to predict worst-case concentrations of contaminants in the groundwater. Monitoring and testing demonstrated that groundwater is in compliance with the Vermont Water Quality Standards, 7/2/2000. |
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