Roosevelt Irrigation District Files $40 Million Lawsuit Against Suspected West Valley Groundwater Polluters
PHOENIX, ARIZONA July 23, 2010— Officials at the Roosevelt Irrigation District (RID) today confirmed the filing in federal district court of a lawsuit against a number of Potentially Responsible Parties (PRPs), identified as possible contributors to groundwater pollution in the West Valley. The named Defendants were identified as potential sources of contamination based on state and federal records and reports that document the release of toxic chemicals at the facilities owned or operated by the named Defendants.
Roosevelt Irrigation District vs Salt River Project is a civil action brought against the PRPs, under the federal Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation and Liability Act (CERCLA) of 1980; more commonly referenced as Superfund. The suit seeks recovery of past and future costs incurred by RID in responding to the Defendants’ release or threatened release of toxic substances that have impacted, or threaten to impact, wells owned and operated by RID. The suit also includes other claims under state law for environmental nuisance and trespass.
RID is represented in this action by the Phoenix law firm, Gallagher & Kennedy. According to David Kimball of Gallagher & Kennedy, “RID had no alternative but to file the lawsuit because many of these parties have resisted multiple invitations to voluntarily come forward and do the right thing.”
The impacted and threatened RID wells are located in what the Arizona Department of Environmental Quality (ADEQ) refers to as the West Van Buren Area (WVBA) Water Quality Assurance Revolving Fund (WQARF) Site. WQARF is the State’s version of Superfund. The WVBA WQARF Site has been under study by ADEQ since 1987. According to ADEQ, groundwater contamination from the Motorola 52nd Street Federal Superfund Site and the West Central Phoenix (WCP) WQARF Site also is contributing to the groundwater contamination in the WVBA WQARF Site, generating one of the largest plumes of contaminated groundwater in the United States. The WVBA Site is bordered by McDowell Road on the North, Buckeye and Lower Buckeye Roads on the South, 7th Avenue on the East and beyond 79th Avenue on the West.
RID was formed in 1927 to serve customers in the West Metropolitan Phoenix area. RID uses 50 miles of main canals and 185 miles of lateral canals to deliver water for beneficial use. “We have been waiting a long time to see this situation set right,” explained RID Superintendent Stan Ashby. “Water is a precious natural resource. We all need to take our stewardship duties very seriously.”
As part of its efforts to promote responsible groundwater stewardship, RID is leading a cooperative effort to address the groundwater contamination called the West Valley Groundwater Cleanup Coalition.
Roosevelt Irrigation District Announces Pilot Treatment System to Begin Cleanup of Polluted West Valley Groundwater
PHOENIX, ARIZONA (September 30, 2011) -- Officials at the Roosevelt Irrigation District (RID) announced their intent to implement a groundwater cleanup Pilot Treatment System for the West Van Buren Area (WVBA) groundwater plume. Bordered by McDowell Road on the North and Buckeye Road on the South and stretching from 7th Avenue to beyond 79th Avenue, the WVBA Site is associated with one of the largest plumes of contaminated groundwater in the United States. At least 20 RID wells located in the area have been impacted by the contamination and more than 10 additional RID wells are threatened by the contamination.
The Pilot System -- referenced in project documents as the "RID-95 Wellhead Pilot Treatment System" -- is designed to evaluate the effectiveness of methods that RID has proposed in order to remove a variety of pollutants from the WVBA plume.
After review of RID’s proposed Pilot Treatment System by the Arizona Department of Environmental Quality (ADEQ), RID contracted with Spinnaker Holdings, LLC of Denison, Texas, to design, build and operate the facilities necessary to implement the Pilot Treatment System.
"The West Valley has been threatened by this groundwater contamination for decades", said RID Superintendent Donovan Neese. "We look forward to working with Spinnaker Holdings to begin to set the situation right," he continued.
EPA Releases Final Health Assessment for TCE
WASHINGTON – The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) today released the final health assessment for trichloroethylene (TCE) to the Integrated Risk Information System (IRIS) database. IRIS is a human health assessment program that evaluates the latest science on chemicals in our environment.
The final assessment characterizes the chemical as carcinogenic to humans and as a human noncancer health hazard. This assessment will also allow for a better understanding of the risks posed to communities from exposure to TCE in soil, water and air. It will provide federal, state, local and other policy makers with the latest scientific information to make decisions about cleanup and other actions to protect people's health.
Procurement Update
July19, 2011--Roosevelt Irrigation District seeks qualified contractors under an Alternative Delivery Procurement.
View/Download the Request for Qualifications (RFQ)
Questions relating to this procurement announcement may be submitted to Paul Hendricks at the Roosevelt Irrigation District, 103 W. Baseline, Buckeye, Arizona 85326 or via email to phendricks@cox.net.
January 3, 2011--The Roosevelt Irrigation District (RID) received 14 respondents to a Request for Interest (RFI) solicitation. RID held an informational meeting followed by a series of one on one meetings with entities that demonstrated additional interest in the project. List of respondents.
RID is in the process of determining the next step in the procurement process. As soon as RID has determined the best procurement method, a formal procurement notice will be advertised in the West Valley View and may also be available on the website and through other bidding services. It is anticipated that the next step of the procurement process will commence in early 2011.
Questions relating to this procurement may be submitted to Paul Hendricks at the Roosevelt Irrigation District, 103 W. Baseline, Buckeye, Arizona 85326 or via email to phendricks@cox.net.
RID Seeks Qualified Firms to Assist ERA Implementation
Read more.... (4.54 MB PDF)
Attend a public meeting on September 21, 2010. More info and registration
ADEQ Approves RID’s Early Response Action Plan
In a letter dated June 24, 2010, Arizona Department of Environmental Quality (ADEQ) director Benjamin Grumbles advised Roosevelt Irrigation District (RID) officials that the agency has given its conditional approval to the Early Response Action plan RID submitted on February 3, 2010.
RID sees this endorsement as a significant development in its efforts to address groundwater contamination in the West Van Buren WQARF Registry Site.
RID Briefs West Valley Officials
During the week of June 7, 2010, Roosevelt Irrigation District representatives met with officials from several West Valley communities, in order to present background information on plans to remediate contaminated groundwater. The series of presentations involved representatives from Avondale, Buckeye, Goodyear and Tolleson.
State and City of Phoenix Officials Briefed on RID Proposed Action Plan
Following up on a commitment to open, stakeholder-driven communication, RID representatives met with State District 16 and City of Phoenix representatives on January 28, 2010 for a briefing on plans to address groundwater pollution in the West Valley.
RID Representatives Present to Community Advisory Board
Roosevelt Irrigation District representatives attended the December 10 meeting of the West Van Buren WQARF Community Advisory Board (CAB). RID was on the CAB agenda to present an overview of the proposed Early Response Action Plan, currently under review by the Arizona Department of Environmental Quality (ADEQ). The presentation was followed by an extensive question and answer session.
RID confirmed its commitment to a stakeholder-driven approach to communications. This meeting represented the first of a planned series of community-based meetings to be conducted in the coming weeks.
Roosevelt Irrigation District proposes West Phoenix groundwater cleanup plan
One of the largest plumes of contaminated groundwater in the United States is located just west of downtown Phoenix. Until the contaminants are removed and the groundwater is treated, this vital asset cannot be used to serve the drinking water needs of the Valley's growing population. The Roosevelt Irrigation District (RID) intends to change all that.
RID operates more than 100 water wells in western Maricopa County. Over thirty of the wells are located in the West Van Buren Area (WVBA) WQARF State Superfund Site. Over twenty of RID's wells in the WVBA WQARF Site have been impacted by a 15-mile plume of contaminated groundwater. RID has developed a plan for a comprehensive cleanup program that utilizes existing infrastructure to remove industrial pollutants from approximately 30,000 acre feet of groundwater per year, making this valuable resource safe and available for public use.
The proposed cleanup program is designed to protect human health and the environment, while preventing the spread of the contaminants, and eventually eliminating them from the underground aquifers.
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