Scottsdale/PV TCE updates

There have been some recent developments to report regarding the situation at the Miller Road Treatment Facility (MRTF) in Scottsdale.

The facility was shut down in January due to a failure that resulted in the introduction of contaminated water into the drinking water supply to nearly 5000 customers of Arizona American Water Company (AAWC) in PV and Scottsdale.

One development was reported in the East Valley Tribune on April 29. While water from the TCE-contaminated well that was subject to 'remediation', named PCX-1, is no longer used for drinking water, as of Sunday the facility is operating; it's output is now pumped into an SRP canal.

The part of the MRTF that treated the water from PCX-1 is no longer operated by AAWC; Motorola, one of the 'participating companies' (PCs, the companies responsible for the contamination in the North Indian Bend Wash Superfund site), has contracted with the firm LFR to operate the facility. (I think this is the company's website)


The other development was reported by the AZ Republic on May 1. Two investigations have been completed into January's incident and reports filed with the EPA.

One investigation, conducted on behalf of the PCs, determined human error on the part of AAWC personnel was the underlying cause of the problem.

The other investigation, conducted on behalf of AAWC "concluded that the plant's systems and components were not designed or operated in an optimal manner."

Yup, the "mutual finger-pointing session" is getting up to speed. :)

...Which should make for an interesting get-together when the NIBW Community Involvement Group (CIG) meets on May 21 at the Civic Center Branch of the Scottsdale Library. From the email from Vicki Rosen, the EPA's Community Involvement Coordinator for the NIBW -

We will be holding a CIG meeting on Wednesday, May 21, 2008 and hope many of you can attend. It will be at the usual time of 5:30 pm until 7:30 pm, however, the location this time will be different. We will be using the auditorium at the Scottsdale Civic Center Library (3839 N.Drinkwater Blvd.)...The main topic will be what's gone on since the Miller Road Treatment Facility failures...where we are now and what we're evaluating for the future.

Later!