groundwater - brookhaven national laboratory · 2014-02-06 · chapter 8: groundwater protection...

CHAPTER 8: GROUNDWATER PROTECTION

1998 SITE ENVIRONMENTAL REPORT8-1

8C H A P T E RGroundwater

Protection

The Brookhaven National Laboratory (BNL) Groundwater Pro-

tection Program is made up of four elements: prevention, moni-

toring, restoration, and communication. In addition to imple-

menting aggressive pollution prevention measures to protect

groundwater resources, BNL has established an extensive ground-

water monitoring well network to verify that prevention and res-

toration activities are effective. In 1998, BNL collected ground-

water samples from 470 monitoring wells during 1,750 indi-

vidual sampling events. Six significant volatile organic compound

(VOC) plumes and six radionuclide plumes were tracked and

evaluated. During 1998, four onsite groundwater remediation

systems removed approximately 490 pounds of VOCs and re-

turned approximately 2,800 million liters (740 million gallons)

of treated water to the Upper Glacial aquifer.

8-2


1998 SITE ENVIRONMENTAL REPORT

The DOE Order 5400.1, “General Environ-mental Protection Program” requires develop-ment and implementation of a groundwaterprotection program. The primary goal of theBNL Groundwater Protection ManagementProgram (GPMP) is to ensure that plans forgroundwater protection, management, moni-toring and restoration are fully defined,integrated and managed in a cost-effectivemanner that is consistent with federal, stateand local regulations. The BNL GPMPincludes policy,strategy,requirementsand regulationsapplicable togroundwaterprotection(Paquette et al.,1998). As shownin the ground-water protectionpuzzle in center,the BNL GPMPconsists of fourinterconnectingelements:1) prevention,2) monitoring,3) restoration,and4) communication.

Prevention: BNL has initiated a three-phased project to: 1) identify past or currentactivities with the potential to affect environ-mental quality; 2) conduct a BNL-wide reviewof all experiments and industrial-type opera-tions to determine the potential impacts ofthose activities on the environment and tointegrate pollution prevention/waste minimi-zation, resource conservation, and complianceinto planning, decision-making and imple-mentation; and 3) develop and implement anEnvironmental Management System (EMS).These activities are designed to prevent furtherpollution of the sole source aquifer underlyingthe BNL site, and are described in Chapter 2.In addition, as described in Chapter 3, effortsare being made to achieve or maintain compli-ance with regulatory requirements and toimplement best management practices de-signed to protect groundwater. Examplesinclude upgrading underground storage tanks,closing cesspools, adding engineering controls

(e.g., barriers to prevent rainwater infiltrationthat could move contaminants out of the soiland into groundwater), and administrativecontrols (i.e., reducing the toxicity and volumeof chemicals in storage or use).

Monitoring: BNL has an extensive ground-water monitoring network designed to evaluategroundwater contamination from historical andactive operations. Groundwater monitoring isbeing conducted under two programs - theEnvironmental Monitoring Program designed

to satisfy DOE andNew York State(NYS) monitoringrequirements foractive research andsupport facilities,and the Environ-mental Restoration(ER) Program formonitoring relatedto BNL’s obliga-tions under theComprehensiveEnvironmentalResponse, Com-pensation, andLiability Act(CERCLA). Theseprograms arecoordinated toensure complete-

ness and to prevent any duplication of effort inthe installation and abandonment of wells, andthe sampling and analysis of groundwater.Furthermore, Data Quality Objectives (DQOs),plans and procedures, sampling and analysis,quality assurance, data management, and wellinstallation, maintenance and abandonmentprograms are being integrated to optimize thegroundwater monitoring system, and to ensurethat water quality data are available for reviewand interpretation in a timely manner. In 1998,there were no major changes to BNL’s ground-water monitoring program in terms of numberof wells sampled, frequency of sampling oranalytes tested for.

Restoration: BNL was added to the NationalPriorities List in 1989 (see Chapter 2 for discus-sion of the BNL’s ER Program). Twenty-nineAreas of Concern (AOC) have been grouped intosix Operable Units (OU). Remedial Investiga-tion/Feasibility Studies (RI/FS) have beenconducted for each OU. A primary goal of the

PreventPrevent

CommunicateCommunicate

MonitorMonitor

RestoreRestore

BNL’s Groundwater Protection Program



ER program is remediating soil and ground-water contamination, and preventing addi-tional groundwater contamination frommigration offsite. To that end, contaminantsources (e.g., contaminated soil, undergroundtanks) are being removed or remediated toprevent further contamination of groundwater.All remediation work is carried out under theInteragency Agreement (IAG) among theUnited States Environmental ProtectionAgency (USEPA), New York State Departmentof Environmental Conservation (NYSDEC)and DOE.

Communication: BNL has a communityinvolvement, government and public affairsprogram to ensure that BNL communicateswith the community in a consistent, timelyand accurate manner. The majority of commu-nications regarding groundwater protectionhave been associated with the ER Program. Anumber of communication mechanisms are inplace, such as web pages, mailings, publicmeetings, briefings and roundtables.

8.1 GROUNDWATER MONITORING

Groundwater monitoring is an integral partof BNL’s GPMP. Groundwater monitoringprogram elements include: installing monitor-ing wells; planning and scheduling; qualityassurance; sample collection; sample analysis;data verification, validation and interpretation;and reporting. Monitoring wells are generallyused to monitor specific facilities wheredegradation of the groundwater is known orsuspected to have occurred, to fulfill regulatorypermit requirements, to assess the quality ofgroundwater entering or leaving the BNL site,and to ensure that corrective measures designedto protect and restore groundwater are, in fact,working.

The groundwater beneath the BNL site isconsidered by NYS as Class GA groundwater.Class GA groundwater is defined as a source ofpotable water supply and suitable for drinking.As such, federal drinking water standards, NYSDrinking Water Standards (NYS DWS), andNYS Ambient Water Quality Standards (NYSAWQS) for Class GA groundwater have beenused as groundwater protection andremediation goals. The BNL groundwatersurveillance program uses monitoring wells(which are not utilized for drinking watersupply) to monitor research and support

facilities where there is a potential for environ-mental impact, and areas where past wastehandling practices or accidental spills havealready degraded groundwater quality. BNLevaluates the potential impact of radiologicaland non-radiological levels of contaminationby comparing analytical results to NYS andDOE reference levels and background waterquality levels. Non-radiological analyticalresults from groundwater samples collectedfrom surveillance wells are usually comparedto NYSDEC AWQS. Radiological data arecompared to NYS DWS (for tritium, gross beta,and strontium-90), NYS AWQS (for grossalpha and radium-226/228), and Safe DrinkingWater Act (SDWA)/DOE Derived Concentra-tion Guides (DCGs) (for determining the 4mrem/dose for other beta/gamma-emittingradionuclides). Contaminant concentrationsthat are below these standards are also com-pared to background values to evaluate thepotential effects of facility operations. Thedetection of low concentrations of facility-specific volatile organic compounds (VOCs) orradionuclides may provide important earlyindications of a contaminant release, and allowfor the timely investigation into the identifica-tion and remediation of the source.

Groundwater quality at BNL is routinelymonitored through a network of approxi-mately 420 onsite and 50 offsite surveillancewells (Figure 8-1). Active and inactive facilitiesthat have groundwater monitoring programsinclude the following: the Sewage TreatmentPlant/Peconic River Area, Biology Agricul-tural Fields, Former Hazardous Waste Manage-ment Facility (HWMF), New Waste Manage-ment Facility (WMF), two former landfillareas, Central Steam Facility/Major PetroleumFacility (CSF/MPF), Alternating GradientSynchrotron (AGS), Waste ConcentrationFacility (WCF), Supply and Materiel, andseveral other smaller facilities. As the result ofdetailed groundwater investigations conductedover the past fifteen years, as many as sixsignificant VOC plumes and six radionuclideplumes have been identified (Figures 8-2 and 8-3). Groundwater quality is also routinelymonitored at all active potable supply wellsand process supply wells. In addition togroundwater quality assessments, water levelsare routinely measured in over 650 onsite andoffsite wells to assess variations in directionsand velocities of groundwater flow.

8-4



Brookhaven AvePrinceton Ave

East Fifth Ave

North St

South St

Carleton

Dr

Weave r Dr

M oriches MiddleI sland Rd

Stratler Dr

Flower Hill Dr

Long Island Expressway

Pec

onicRiver

0 1

0 1000 2000 3000

Kilometers

Feet

Monitoring Wellsand Piezometers

Figure 8-1. Locations of BNL Groundwater Monitoring Wells

N



Brookhaven Aveton Ave

East Fifth Ave

North St

South St

Carleton Dr

Weaver Dr

Moriches MiddleIsland

R d

Stratler Dr

Flower Hill Dr


0 1

0 1000 2000 3000

Kilometers

Feet

Biology Fields(OU VI, EDB)

Current Landfill, HazardousWaste Management Facility(RA V, VOCs)

Sewage Treatment Plant(OU V, VOCs)

Former Landfill, Animal/Chemical Pits, Glass Holes(OU I, VOCs)

OU III and OU IV(VOCs)

LEGEND

Figure 8-2.Extent of Volatile Organic Compound Plumes at BNL N

8-6



Brookhaven AvePrinceton Ave

East Fifth Ave

North St

South St

Carleton Dr

Weaver Dr

Moriches MiddleIsland

R d

Stratler Dr


0 1

0 1000 2000 3000

Kilometers

Feet

Chemical Holes(Sr-90)

High Flux Beam Reactor(Tritium)

OU IV, AOC6(Sr-90)

Waste Concentration Facility /Brookhaven Graphite ResearchReactor (Sr-90)

Current Landfill, HazardousWaste Management Facility(RA V, Sr-90)

LEGEND

Figure 8-3. Extent of Radionuclide Plumes at BNL N



8.1.1 POTABLE AND PROCESS SUPPLY WELLS(SUPPLEMENTAL MONITORING PROGRAM)

Because of the proximity of BNL’s potablesupply wells to known or suspected groundwa-ter contamination plumes and source areas,BNL conducts a supplemental potable supplywell monitoring program that exceeds themonitoring required by the SDWA described inChapter 3. This program also evaluates thequality of water obtained from process supplywells that is used to provide water for non-potable uses (secondary cooling water andbiological experiments). Well water samplesare typically collected quarterly and analyzedby the onsite Analytical Services Laboratory(ASL). Samples are usually analyzed forradionuclides (gross alpha, gross beta, gammaand tritium), VOCs (consisting of the primaryvolatile halogenated aliphatic hydrocarbonsand aromatic hydrocarbons), inorganics (i.e.,metals), and water quality parameters (nitrate,chlorides, and sulfates). These samples serveboth as a quality control on contractor labora-tory analyses of compliance samples (describedin Chapter 3), and as an additional source ofdata used in evaluating groundwater quality.

The BNL supply well network consists of sixpotable supply wells (Wells 4, 6, 7, 10, 11, and12) and five secondary cooling/process watersupply wells (Wells 9, 101, 102, 103, and 105).All supply wells are screened entirely withinthe Upper Glacial aquifer (Figure 8-4). In 1998Well 102 provided the secondary cooling waterat the AGS, and Well 9 supplied process waterto a facility where biological research isconducted with fish. Secondary-cooling waterfor the Brookhaven Medical Research Reactor(BMRR) was supplied exclusively from Well105. Wells 101 and 103 were not operationalduring 1998, because Well 102 providedsufficient cooling water supply for AGSoperations.

In 1998, samples were obtained quarterly fromPotable Wells 10, 11 and 12 and analyzed forradioactivity, water quality indices, metals, andVOCs. Wells 4, 6, and 7 were sampled for fieldparameters, VOCs and radiological parameters.Wells 4, 6 and 7 were not sampled for waterquality or metals under the surveillance pro-gram. Regulatory compliance samples werecollected and analyzed in accordance with theBNL Potable Water System Sampling Plan. Theresults of the regulatory compliance sampleswere discussed in Chapter 3.

Process Supply Wells 9, 102, and 105 wereanalyzed for water quality, and inorganic andorganic contaminants. Water chemistryanalyses (e.g., pH and conductivity) were alsoperformed for Well 102 by the AGS facilityoperators, as needed, to meet their operationalrequirements.

8.1.1.1 NON-RADIOLOGICAL ANALYSES

Tables 8-1 and 8-2 summarize the 1998 waterquality and metals data for the BNL potableand process supply wells. The water qualitydata show that nitrates, sulfates, and chloridesare well within the limits established in theNYS DWS (Part 5 NYS Sanitary Code). ThepH values in these wells ranged from 5.9 - 7.1SU, and are typical of natural Long Islandgroundwater. (Note: The natural pH ofgroundwater at BNL has been found to rangefrom 4.5 to 8.1 SU.) To reduce the corrosivityof the groundwater, Wells 10, 11, and 12 areequipped with metering pumps, which addsodium hydroxide to maintain the pH of thepotable water effluent at approximately 8. TheWater Treatment Plant (WTP) water softeningprocess uses lime (calcium hydroxide) toreduce the corrosivity of the water obtainedfrom Wells 4, 6 and 7.

Water samples were tested for nineteeninorganic parameters. Table 8-2 summarizesonly those elements detected in one or moresamples. Arsenic, beryllium, cadmium,mercury, thallium and selenium were notdetected in any of the process or potable watersupply wells in 1998. Lead, nickel, andmanganese were not detected in any of thepotable water supply wells. Aluminum,barium, cobalt, copper, iron, sodium, and zincwere detected in all potable wells at levels farbelow their respective NYS DWS. With theexception of well 105, the concentrations ofinorganic elements in process supply wells,except iron, were within all drinking waterstandards. Naturally occurring iron is presentin all wells located within the western sectors(e.g., Process Wells 102 and 105). In the case ofpotable wells, the ambient iron is removed atthe WTP prior to site distribution. For theprocess wells, an iron sequestrant (a chemicalwhich prevents the iron from precipitatingfrom solution) is added.

Process Well 105 was sampled twice in 1998,in March and June. The concentrations oflead, iron and zinc in the sample collected in

8-8



10

11

12

6

7 4

103102

101

105

Potable Supply Well

Process Supply Well

0 100 300 500

0 1000

Meters

Feet

River

Peconic

LEGEND

9

Figure 8-4Locations of BNL Potable and Process Supply Wells

N



Well Id. pH Conductivity Chlorides Sulfates(b) Nitrate as N (b)

[Old Well Id.] SU µS/cm mg/L mg/L mg/L

4 [FD] N 3 3 0 0 0Min. 6 105Max. 6.2 111Avg. NA 108

6 [FF] N 4 7 0 0 0Min. 6.1 102Max. 6.2 104Avg. NA 104

7 [FG] N 3 3 0 0 0Min. 6 131Max. 6.6 138Avg. NA 135

10 [FO] N 11 11 6 6 6Min. 6 93 < 4 8.7 <1.0Max. 7 125 17.1 11.6 < 1.0Avg. NA 114 12.2 10.6 <1.0

11 [FP] N 11 11 7 7 7Min. 5.9 119 17.3 11.4 <1.0Max. 6.7 146 20.7 13.5 <1.0Avg. NA 126 19.4 12.9 <1.0

12 [FQ] N 9 9 6 6 6Min. 6.2 122 16.7 10.5 <1.0Max. 6.8 143 21.4 13.6 <1.0Avg. NA 127 17.5 11.5 <1.0

101 [FH] N 5 0 0 0 0Min. 6.9Max. 9Avg. NA

102 [FI] N 2 1 1 1 1Min. 6.9 135 21.2 8.9 < 1Max. 7.1 135 21.2 8.9 < 1Avg. NA 135 21.2 8.9 < 1

103 [FJ] N 0 0 0 0 0Value

9 [FM] N 4 4 2 2 2Min. 6.4 118 19.7 11.5 <1.0Max. 7.1 134 20.7 11.4 <1.0Avg. NA 126.3 20.2 11.5 <1.0

105 [FL] N 3 3 1 1 1Min. 6.2 187 33.7 13.9 <1.0Max. 6.4 199 33.7 13.9 <1.0Avg. NA 192 33.7 13.9 <1.0

NYSDWS (a) (a) 250 250 10Typical MDL NA 10 4 4 1

Notes:1. N: No. of samples2. NA: Not Applicable3. NYSDWS: New York State Drinking Water Standard4. MDL: Minimum Detection Limit

a. No standard specified.b. Holding times for nitrates and sulfates were typically exceeded.

5. Wells 101-103 show pH values for treated samples.

Table 8-1. Potable Water and Process Supply WellsQuality Data

March exceeded typical levels by one to twoorders of magnitude. Similar results wereobtained in February 1997. The cause of theintermittent concentration spikes is unclear.However, this well is prone to heavy sediment

(composed primarily of silt and clay minerals)build-up as evidenced by frequent clogging ofthe activated carbon adsorption vessels. In-creases in sediment could result in elevatedelemental concentrations. This theory will be

8-10



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groundwater - brookhaven national laboratory · 2014-02-06 · chapter 8: groundwater protection...

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