State of Wisconsin

\T OF NATURAL RESOURCES

P.O. Box 12436 M i l w a u k e e , WI 53212

CarrollD.

Besadny Secretary

-

CO CD 0 - 3

January

1 5 , 1986

Mr. Thomas E . Z a b l o c k i County C l e r k M i l w a u k e e C o u r t H o u s e , Room 1 0 1 901 N o r t h 9 t h S t r e e t M i l w a u k e e , WI 53233

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S u p e r v i s o r F . Thomas Ament C h a i r p e r s o n , Milwaukee County B o a r d o f S u p e r v i s o r s M i l w a u k e e C o u r t H o u s e , Room 2 0 1 901 North 9 t h S t r e e t M i l w a u k e e , WI 53233 Dear Messrs. Z a b l o c k i and S u p e r v i s o r RE:

Milwaukee County Highway

Ament:

Landfill,

L i c e n s e #881

The SED S e c t i o n o f S o l i d W a s t e h a s c o m p l e t e d i t s a s s e s s m e n t o f t h e e n v i r o n m e n t a l c o n d i t i o n s a t t h e M i l w a u k e e County Highway l a n d f i l l . The D e p a r t m e n t h a s d e t e r m i n e d t h a t a s i g n i f i c a n t d e g r e e o f e n v i r o n m e n t a l c o n t a m i n a t i o n e x i s t s i n t h e v i c i n i t y o f t h e Milwaukee County Highway l a n d f i l l and a p p e a r s t o be a d i r e c t r e s u l t o f l a n d f i l l i n g operations a t the s i t e . The Department h a s p r e v i o u s l y d i s c u s s e d i n d e t a i l v i a l e t t e r s t o M i l w a u k e e C o u n t y d a t e d O c t o b e r 9, 1985 a n d November 8, 1985 o u r c o n c e r n w i t h t h e g r o u n d w a t e r q u a l i t y a n d s i t e c o n d i t i o n s a n d made recommendations t o a d d r e s s these problems. A f t e r d i s c u s s i o n s w i t h M i l w a u k e e C o u n t y p e r s o n n e l , t h e D e p a r t m e n t a g r e e d t o do a d d i t i o n a l groundwater data c o l l e c t i o n and a n a l y s i s t o d e f i n e t h e time frames n e c e s s a r y f o r " e v a l u a t i o n and r e m e d i a t i o n o p e r a t i o n s . P r i v a t e w a t e r s u p p l y w e l l s l o c a t e d e a s t o f t h e l a n d f i l l w e r e t o be sampled t o e v a l u a t e t h e e x t e n t t o w h i c h , i f any, deeper groundwater was b e i n g i m p a c t e d i n t h i s a r e a . The Department a l s o would r e v i e w updated w a t e r q u a l i t y i n f o r m a t i o n from t h e on-going m o n i t o r i n g a t t h e underdrains. Of p a r t i c u l a r i n t e r e s t t o t h e D e p a r t m e n t w o u l d be t h e r e v i e w o f more r e c e n t V o l a t i l e O r g a n i c Compound (VOC) a n a l y s i s o f groundwater from the u n d e r d r a i n s . R e c e n t l y Milwaukee County was a s k e d t o h a v e a l l l a b o r a t o r y a n a l y s e s o f VOC's p e r f o r m e d a t l o w e r d e t e c t i o n l e v e l s comparable to t h e S t a t e Lab of Hygiene. V e r y s e r i o u s c o n c e r n s h a v e a r i s e n o v e r t h e r e s u l t s o f t h e September 1985 VOC s c a n c o n d u c t e d a t t h e l o w e r d e t e c t i o n l i m i t s . C h a p t e r NR 140 W i s c o n s i n A d m i n i s t r a t i v e Code E n f o r c e m e n t s t a n d a r d s ( E n f . S t d . ) w e r e

e x c e e d e d f o r a number o f VOC carcinogenic.

compounds known t o be

potentially

B e n z e n e c o n c e n t r a t i o n s o f 2.3 ppb w e r e d e t e r m i n e d i n t h e A n d e r s o n #2 o u t f a l l ( E n f . S t d . = .67 p p b ) . V i n y l c h l o r i d e c o n c e n t r a t i o n s ranged f r o m 2.3 t o 3.3 ppb ( E n f . S t d . = .015 p p b ) . T r i c h l o r o e t h e n e was f o u n d i n c o n c e n t r a t i o n s o f 1.3 t o 6.6 ppb ( E n f . S t d . = 1.8 p p b ) . O t h e r VOC compounds w e r e d e t e c t e d a n d q u a n t i f i e d a t l e v e l s e x c e e d i n g P r e v e n t a t i v e Action L i m i t (PAL) standards. Some VOC compounds w e r e f o u n d f o r w h i c h no w a t e r q u a l i t y s t a n d a r d p r e s e n t l y e x i s t s . R e g u l a r l y monitored i n o r g a n i c d a t a from the u n d e r d r a i n s v e r i f i e s the p r e v i o u s l y d e s c r i b e d h i g h degree of groundwater c o n t a m i n a t i o n . I n S e p t e m b e r , 1985 t h e s p e c i f i c c o n d u c t i v i t y i n t h e 3 u n d e r d r a i n s r a n g e d f r o m 2350 t o 3 5 9 0 u m h o s / s e c ; c h l o r i d e s r a n g e d f r o m 370 t o 698 mg/1; c h e m i c a l o x y g e n demand (COD) f r o m 26 t o 73 mg/1. The u n d e r d r a i n w a t e r s a l s o h a d c o n c e n t r a t i o n s o f a number o f h e a v y m e t a l s t h a t e x c e e d t h e P r i m a r y D r i n k i n g W a t e r S t a n d a r d s (PDWS), and t h e NR 140 E n f o r c e m e n t a n d P r e v e n t a t i v e A c t i o n L e v e l s . I n September 1 9 8 5 , m e r c u r y c o n c e n t r a t i o n s r a n g e d f r o m 4.3 t o 27 ppb compared t o t h e PDWS and ENF S t a n d a r d s o f 2 ppb. T o t a l chromium r a n g e d i n v a l u e s f r o m 20 t o 33 ppb ( P A L S t a n d a r d = 5 p p b ) . Various other metals, including a r s e n i c , b a r i u m , i r o n , and manganese, d i f f e r e n t i a l l y exceeded t h e PDWS/ENF, o r PAL S t a n d a r d s . Two p r i v a t e w a t e r s u p p l y w e l l s l o c a t e d i n t h e v i c i n i t y o f 7 5 t h S t r e e t and O l d L o o m i s Road w e r e s a m p l e d f o r VOC's and a number o f i n o r g a n i c compounds. I n a d d i t i o n , the p r i v a t e water supply w e l l ( s i t e subseq u e n t l y s e r v e d by M u n i c i p a l W a t e r ) l o c a t e d a t t h e c o r n e r o f 7 6 t h S t r e e t and R a w s o n A v e n u e was a l s o s a m p l e d . The w e l l d e p t h and c o n s t r u c t i o n d e t a i l s a r e n o t f u l l y known f o r t h e s e w e l l s . However, a d j a c e n t w e l l s i n the a r e a a r e f i n i s h e d i n bedrock. Typically, c l o s e l y l o c a t e d w e l l s , e s p e c i a l l y t h o s e more r e c e n t l y c o n s t r u c t e d , a r e f i n i s h e d i n comparable f o r m a t i o n s and d e p t h s . The w a t e r q u a l i t y i n t h e s e p r i v a t e w e l l s was compared t o t h e R e i d e r w e l l as the R e i d e r w e l l has been r e g u l a r l y monitored f o r background b e d r o c k w a t e r q u a l i t y by Milwaukee County. This p r i v a t e water supply w e l l i s l o c a t e d a d j a c e n t t o and n o r t h o f t h e l a n d f i l l . The R e i d e r w e l l i s f i n i s h e d i n the limestone bedrock. The d a t a , w h i l e n o t d e f i n i t i v e , i n d i c a t e s t h a t t h e b e d r o c k g r o u n d w a t e r t o w a r d s t h e e a s t may be e x h i b i t i n g t h e e a r l y i m p a c t o f g r o u n d w a t e r c o n t a m i n a t i o n from t h e M i l w a u k e e County Highway l a n d f i l l . Comparing g r o u n d w a t e r q u a l i t y i n p r i v a t e w e l l s , we f i n d t h e f o l l o w i n g : in July 1 9 8 5 , t h e R e i d e r w e l l h a d a c h l o r i d e c o n c e n t r a t i o n o f 2.4 mg/1. The 3 r e c e n t l y s a m p l e d p r i v a t e w e l l s h a d c h l o r i d e c o n c e n t r a t i o n s f r o m 55 t o 190 mg/1. C o m p a r i n g v a l u e s o f o t h e r compounds f r o m t h e same s a m p l i n g dates: R e i d e r w e l l , d i s s o l v e d i r o n 0.03 mg/1, p r i v a t e w e l l s 1.1 t o 1.3 mg/1; R e i d e r w e l l , s p e c i f i c c o n d u c t i v i t y , 470 umhos/cm, p r i v a t e w e l l s , 790 t o 1300 umhos/cm. The c o n d u c t i v i t y m e a s u r e m e n t s a r e n o t s t r i c t l y c o m p a r a b l e a s some m e a s u r e m e n t s w e r e made i n t h e f i e l d and some i n t h e l a b . H o w e v e r , t h e v a r i a t i o n i s s u f f i c i e n t , when v i e w e d i n

conjunction w i t h the other parameters, to i n d i c a t e p o s s i b l e impacts are occurring.

groundwater

T h e 2 p r i v a t e w e l l s a l o n g O l d L o o m i s Road d i d n o t h a v e a n y d e t e c t o f VOC's. T h e w e l l l o c a t e d a t 7 6 t h S t r e e t and Rawson A v e n u e h a d a d e t e c t o f 1,2 d i c h l o r o e t h y l e n e a t 1.6 ppb. T h e r e i s no c u r r e n t w a t e r q u a l i t y s t a n d a r d f o r t h i s compound. The i n d i c a t i o n t h a t g r o u n d w a t e r , t o w a r d s t h e e a s t , a t d e p t h , may be b e i n g i m p a c t e d h e i g h t e n s t h e D e p a r t m e n t ' s c o n c e r n about t h e q u a l i t y of g r o u n d w a t e r above t h e b e d r o c k i n upper p e r m e a b l e s t r a t a l o c a t e d n o r t h e a s t , e a s t and s o u t h , s o u t h e a s t o f t h e landfill. Contamination of the shallow groundwater n o r t h of the l a n d f i l l i s d o c u m e n t e d b y t h e d a t a f r o m s h a l l o w m o n i t o r i n g w e l l OW I I . T h i s w e l l i s l o c a t e d n o r t h o f t h e l a n d f i l l , b e t w e e n t h e l a n d f i l l and t h e R o o t River. A P r i o r i t y P o l l u t a n t S c a n c o n d u c t e d on t h e w a t e r s i n t h i s w e l l i n A u g u s t 1984 showed e x c e e d a n c e s o f t h e PDWS and E n f S t d i n : a r s e n i c ( 2 3 6 ppb v s E n f s t d - 50 p p b ) ; c h r o m i u m ( 4 3 0 ppb v s E n f s t d - 50 p p b ) ; c o p p e r ( 1 8 7 0 ppb v s E n f s t d - 1000 p p b ) ; b a r i u m ( 1 6 1 0 ppb v s E n f s t d 1000 p p b ) ; a n d m a n g a n e s e ( 2 3 , 3 0 0 ppb v s 50 p p b ) . The PDWS/Enf s t a n d a r d s w e r e a l s o e x c e e d e d f o r z i n c and d i s s o l v e d i r o n . Cadmium was f o u n d a t 9.5 ppb ( E N F s t d - 10 ppb, PAL s t d - 1 p p b ) . The c o n c e n t r a t i o n o f m e t a l s i n w e l l OW I I w e r e s i g n i f i c a n t l y h i g h e r than found i n t h e 3 o u t f a l l u n d e r d r a i n s . However, c o n v e r s e l y , t h e w a t e r s i n t h i s w e l l h a d b o t h l o w e r c o n c e n t r a t i o n s o f VOC's and f e w e r and d i s s i m i l a r VOC compounds t h a n f o u n d i n t h e u n d e r d r a i n s . This data i n d i c a t e s e i t h e r v e r y complex c o n t a m i n a t i o n f l o w p a t h s and/or d i f f e r e n t i a l sources i n the s i t e acreage. I n summation, t h e d a t a i n d i c a t e s t h a t s e r i o u s and u n a c c e p t a b l e e n v i r o n m e n t a l i m p a c t s e x i s t a t t h e s i t e and t h a t i m m e d i a t e s t e p s a r e necessary to remediate the environment. T h e r e f o r e , t h e Department w i l l

be r e q u i r i n g

that Milwaukee

County:

1.

S u b m i t t o t h e D e p a r t m e n t b y M a r c h 15, 1986 a p r o p o s a l f o r e l i m i n a t i o n o f t h e o u t f a l l u n d e r d r a i n d i s c h a r g e t o t h e Root R i v e r .

2.

C o m p l e t e t h e p r o p o s e d u n d e r d r a i n c o l l e c t i o n s y s t e m and e l i m i n a t e d i s c h a r g e t o t h e R o o t R i v e r by O c t o b e r 3 1 , 1986.

3.

Submit an I n - F i e l d C o n d i t i o n s R e p o r t t o the Department e v a l u a t i n g the o v e r a l l e n v i r o n m e n t a l s t a t u s o f M i l w a u k e e County Highway l a n d f i l l b y O c t o b e r 3 1 , 1986. The r e p o r t s h a l l a d d r e s s t h e following issues:

a.

A l l r e l e v a n t p o i n t s d e s c r i b e d i n the Department's l e t t e r s of O c t o b e r 9, 1985 a n d , w h e r e r e l e v a n t , i s s u e s r a i s e d i n t h e November 8, 1985 l e t t e r .

b.

H y d r o g e o l o g i c a l e v a l u a t i o n of the environmental impacts of the Ace and O ' M a l l e y l a n d f i l l s , i n a d d i t i o n t o t h e D o r e / A n d e r s o n p i t s a n d a d j a c e n t l a n d f i l l e d a r e a s e a s t o f t h e Dore a n d A n d e r s o n

acreage. The e v a l u a t i o n s h a l l r e v i e w t h e e n v i r o n m e n t a l i m p a c t s on a l l s h a l l o w and deep g r o u n d w a t e r s y s t e m s i n c l u d i n g b e d r o c k , and s u r f a c e w a t e r i n t h e a r e a . I n a d d i t i o n the report s h a l l e v a l u a t e s u r f a c e w a t e r d r a i n a g e p r o b l e m s on t h e O ' M a l l e y s i t e due to the development of the s k i h i l l . The r e p o r t s h a l l a l s o e v a l u a t e t h e e f f e c t o f t h e s k i h i l l d e v e l o p m e n t , and associated i n t e r m i t t a n t s t a n d i n g s u r f a c e w a t e r , on s u r f a c e and g r o u n d w a t e r s y s t e m s and l a n d f i l l gas migration. The r e p o r t s h a l l i n d i c a t e t h e s o i l t y p e s , t h i c k n e s s and d e p t h o f b e d r o c k , d i r e c t i o n ( b o t h h o r i z o n t a l and v e r t i c a l ) o f g r o u n d w a t e r flow, areas from which s u r f a c e w a t e r o r i g i n a t e s . In addition, a d e s c r i p t i o n o f t h e s u r f i c i a l s h a l l o w and d e e p e r g r o u n d w a t e r and b e d r o c k a q u i f e r s and s u r f a c e w a t e r f l o w s y s t e m s s h a l l be included a l o n g w i t h o t h e r d e t a i l s o f t h e g e o l o g i c and h y d r o g e o l o g i c s e t t i n g t h a t w o u l d a f f e c t t h e e x i s t i n g and p o l l u t i o n p o t e n t i a l o f t h e s u r f a c e and g r o u n d w a t e r s . T h i s r e p o r t should s p e c i f i c a l l y a d d r e s s the n a t u r e of the waste m a t e r i a l s and t h e g r o u n d w a t e r f l o w s y s t e m i n t e r m s o f a s c e r t a i n i n g t h e s o u r c e ( s ) of c o n t a m i n a t i o n w i t h i n the s i t e a c r e a g e . This i s especially i m p o r t a n t a s t h e D e p a r t m e n t ' s r e c o r d s show some h a z a r d o u s w a s t e s , i n c l u d i n g h e a v y m e t a l s , o r g a n i c s and s o l v e n t s , w e r e d e p o s i t e d a t t h e landfill. The r e p o r t s h a l l i n c l u d e t h e f o l l o w i n g i n f o r m a t i o n : a d e s c r i p t i o n of the s i t e i n terms of s i t e c h a r a c t e r i s t i c s , t o p o g r a p h y and s i t e s e t t i n g ; e v a l u a t i o n o f t h e n a t u r e and d e p t h o f t h e l a n d f i l l ( s ) c a p m a t e r i a l ; l o c a t i o n of t h e s i t e and the m u n i c i p a l i t y , i n d u s t r y o r f a c i l i t y t h a t h a s b e e n s e r v e d by i t ; a d e t a i l e d d e s c r i p t i o n o f t h e m a t e r i a l s disposed of a t the s i t e , a d e t a i l e d h i s t o r y of the f i l l i n g operations t h a t h a v e t a k e n p l a c e a t t h e s i t e i n t e r m s o f when t h e s i t e was e s t a b l i s h e d , the w a s t e l o a d i n g o v e r p a s t y e a r s , the n a t u r e of w a s t e s a c c e p t e d , p a s t o p e r a t i o n a l p r o b l e m s and a l t e r a t i o n s t h a t may h a v e taken p l a c e d u r i n g the s i t e l i f e . F i l l volumes of the s i t e i n terms o f t o t a l a i r s p a c e , m a t e r i a l s f o r b e r m s and d i k e s , p e r i o d i c c o v e r m a t e r i a l s , t h e t o t a l amount o f r e f u s e o r s o l i d w a s t e m a t e r i a l s i n - p l a c e , e t c . , s h o u l d be i n d i c a t e d . I t i s noted t h a t where i n s u f f i c i e n t d a t a i s a v a i l a b l e f o r the a b o v e - m e n t i o n e d r e p o r t s , e s t i m a t e s s h a l l be made. The b a s i s f o r e s t i m a t e s s h a l l be i n c l u d e d i n t h e r e p o r t .

the

A s e r i e s o f g e o l o g i c and e n g i n e e r i n g c r o s s - s e c t i o n s i n d i c a t i n g s o i l types, water t a b l e , p i e z o m e t r i c s u r f a c e s , depth to bedrock, i n - p l a c e r e f u s e , p r e v i o u s l y e x i s t i n g g r o u n d s u r f a c e s , and e x i s t i n g g r o u n d s u r f a c e s s h a l l be i n c l u d e d . A l s o s u b m i t a d e t a i l e d p l o t map i n d i c a t i n g the a r e a s of the s i t e t h a t have been u t i l i z e d f o r w a s t e d i s p o s a l . T h i s map s h o u l d s p e c i f i c a l l y i n d i c a t e t h e f i l l d e p t h s o f w a s t e d i s p o s a l t h e n a t u r e o f t h e w a s t e s i n t h e v a r i o u s a r e a s ; and t h e p r e s e n t s t a t u s of t h e c o v e r i n g o f t h e s e w a s t e m a t e r i a l s . I n f o r m a t i o n f o r t h i s r e p o r t s h o u l d be g a t h e r e d by e x a m i n a t i o n o f e x i s t i n g i n f o r m a t i o n , use of e x i s t i n g m o n i t o r i n g p o i n t s where approp r i a t e and by a s u f f i c i e n t number o f b o r i n g s t o a s u f f i c i e n t d e p t h t o a d d r e s s the above i t e m s .

T h i s r e p o r t s h o u l d a d d r e s s t h e p o s s i b l e c r o s s - c o n t a m i n a t i o n o f ground w a t e r a q u i f e r s t h a t h a v e o c c u r r e d t h r o u g h t h e u s e and i n s t a l l a t i o n o f p i e z o m e t e r s and ground w a t e r m o n i t o r i n g w e l l s through w a s t e . F i n a l l y , the report s h a l l include a proposal f o r remediation of the environmental impacts a t the l a n d f i l l . T h e I n - F i e l d C o n d i t i o n R e p o r t s h a l l be s u b m i t t e d t o t h e D e p a r t m e n t b y O c t o b e r 3 1 , 1986.

T h e p u r p o s e o f t h i s l e t t e r i s t o document t h e D e p a r t m e n t ' s f i n d i n g s i n o r d e r t h a t Milwaukee County c a n b e g i n immediate r e s t o r a t i o n o f t h e environment a t the l a n d f i l l . T h e D e p a r t m e n t w i l l f o l l o w up t h i s l e t t e r with a formal plan modification order. I f you have any f u r t h e r q u e s t i o n s r e g a r d i n g t h i s l e t t e r p l e a s e c a l l J i m S c h m i d t , S o l i d Waste I n v e s t i g a t o r i n Milwaukee a t ( 4 1 4 ) 562-9648 or R u t h J o h n s o n , D i s t r i c t H y d r o g e o l o g i s t ( 4 1 4 ) 562-9641 o r C e l i a Van Der Loop, S o l i d Waste E n g i n e e r i n Madison a t ( 6 0 8 ) 266-3308.

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Mr. W i l l W a r z y n SED Mr. K e n W i e s n e r WW/2 S y s t e m s Management - SW/3 S u p e r v i s o r D a n i e l F. Casey John K a i s h i a n , Midwest Development Corp. Richard Keys, Environmental Engineer - Milwaukee G e r a l d Schwerm, Milwaukee County T r a n s p o r t a t i o n P a u l Hathaway, Milwaukee County P a r k s System Carl Birks, Milwaukee County E n g i n e e r Donald K o e g e l , Milwaukee County P a r k s C e l i a Van Der Loop DNR - M a d i s o n J a m e s R. S p r a n g M i l w . Co. Hwy. D a n i e l E . Mack M i l w . Co. Hwy. C a r l W. B i r k s M i l w . Co. - E n g r . Greg H i l l DNR - M a d i s o n

County