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Arsenic in groundwater in Centex Community |
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Saturday, 10 February 2007 |
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Builder's test finds high levels of arsenic at Wellington project
In preliminary testing Centex Homes has found high levels of arsenic contamination in the groundwater and some arsenic contamination in the soil of its Oakmont Estates project, according to a report released by state environmental officials on Friday.Testing done by Earth Tech in Orlando found arsenic in the groundwater at up to 16 times the state's safe level, said Stephen Webster, a spokesman for the Florida Department of Environmental Protection. The state's safe level is 10 parts per billion. Centex found readings as high as 160 parts per billion in the groundwater of its unfinished neighborhood off U.S. 441.
Builder's test finds high levels of arsenic at Wellington project
By Stephanie Horvath
sun-sentinel.com
Posted February 9 2007, 10:00 AM EST
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WELLINGTON -- In preliminary testing Centex Homes has found high levels of arsenic contamination in the groundwater and some arsenic contamination in the soil of its Oakmont Estates project, according to a report released by state environmental officials on Friday.
Testing done by Earth Tech in Orlando found arsenic in the groundwater at up to 16 times the state's safe level, said Stephen Webster, a spokesman for the Florida Department of Environmental Protection. |
The state's safe level is 10 parts per billion. Centex found readings as high as 160 parts per billion in the groundwater of its unfinished neighborhood off U.S. 441.
"There are a handful of samples below," said Webster, who said the company tested 130 samples. "But the majority of them are above."
Webster said there's little danger of the contaminated water getting into the drinking water supply because Wellington drinks city water. Groundwater is used for irrigation, and he said Centex would likely have to shut down its irrigation wells.
"According to these results, they've got significantly higher contamination in the groundwater," he said. "They can't just shut down one well. All the wells would be sucking from the same threshold."
He said Centex must now figure out where the contaminated water is coming from and whether it's leaving the site. Once the home builder does that, it can clean up the water by pumping it out and putting it through an elaborate process including filters and reverse osmosis.
Because of a loophole in state law, Centex is not required to clean up the site. But the company has promised to do so anyway.
The report also tested 40 residential lots for arsenic, lead and a type of fuel. Only three tested above the state's safe levels.
The state's safe levels of arsenic in soil is 2.1 milligrams per kilogram. It's safe level of lead is 400 milligrams per kilogram.
Lot 11 at Oakmont had 3.1 milligrams per kilogram of arsenic and lead below state standards, Webster said. Lot 14 had 6 milligrams per kilogram of arsenic and 889 milligrams per kilogram of lead, he said.
And Lot 21 had 1.12 milligrams per kilogram of benzo(A)pyrene, a type of fuel. The state's safe level for that substance is 0.10 milligrams per kilogram.
Webster said to clean up the lots Centex would have to remove the contaminated soil.
According to the report, the company is testing the soil in another 41 lots and expects results by the end of February.
http://www.sun-sentinel.com/news/local/palmbeach/sfl-29centexarsenic,0,3648676.story?coll=sfla-news-palm
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