Village board approves groundwater cleanup

Cleanup activities on two former leaking undeground-storage sites in Clearwater may begin once permits are approved by the State of Nebraska.

Mike Reif, representing Terracon, a consulting firm working with the Nebraska Department of Energy and Environment petroleum remediation program, presented plans for the excavation to Clearwater Village Board members, Oct. 11.

Board members approved the proposal to agree to cleanup, pending permits and access agreements.

Reif said it's possible some cleanup could begin this fall, otherwise, a spring start date is anticipated.

Cleanup will begin on a section of concrete in front of Den's Repair, at 521 Main Street, and the site of a former gas station, which will house the local historical museum, located at the intersection of Nebraska and Main streets.

Reif said the state now has the resources - funds and personnel - to move forward with the two leaking tank sites.

"We started working on them in the early 2000's and now there is groundwater contamination at both sites and some soil contamination," Reif said. "Because of the location of the city well, and the proximity to the city well and the next building, the contamination does need to be cleaned up."

Remediation plans have been submitted to the state. In addition to the two sites, work will take place on private property, as well as on a right-of-way on Main Street.

Village Trustee Mike Klabenes asked when the tanks were removed from the village-owned property.

Chairman Steve Hankla said he believes tanks were removed around 1990.

Reif said property at Den's Repair will be excavated, cleaned and concrete replaced.

"We're going to try to time it when the water table is down," Reif said.

Moving east across the street, chemical treatments to destroy the petroleum will be injected into 44 spots on Main Street and 14 points on private property.

"We'll be advancing a two-inch steel rod at each location with a skid loader, with a trailer with mixing equipment," Reif said.

Locations will be injected by row, with equipment moving as each row is completed. Terracon employees will pull rods from the ground and patch holes.

A similar procedure will be used on a strip of private property, between the The Office and Flenniken Electric buildings, owned by ColdType Publishing, LLC.

Several trustees asked how that section of property became contaminated.

Reif said groundwater in this area flows east.

The project should take two to three days to complete. Water will be tested several times following the procedure .

Reif said, "Hopefully, it reduces the concentrations enough that the state can close it out."

At the South Main Street site, wells will be drilled and injections will be made below the water table.

"Above the water table, we'll have a trench where we put a screen, pipe and vacuum on it," Reif said.

The project will involve concrete removal. Full panels will be replaced.

Buried lines will be trenched in, according to Reif.

"One monitoring well needs to be cleaned up. We're going to put a cleanup well there and directionally go down to the trailer."

The trailer may be onsite from two to 10 years.

Funding for the project is a combination of state and federal funds, including petroleum taxes paid on each gallon of gas sold.

The village and private property owners will not be responsible for cleanup.