Sustainable Groundwater Remediation Reduces Municipal Burden

This presentation will describe the beneficial reuse of treated groundwater from a Superfund site for potable water supply. Contaminated groundwater from Superfund sites is usually treated and discharged to a stream or storm sewer or conveyed to a wastewater treatment plant. Reuse of treated water as potable water is an attractive alternative if community stakeholders are assured of the quality of the treated water and if the treatment meets regulatory requirements.

The U.S. EPA and Nebraska state agencies collaborated in reviewing the groundwater extraction and treatment (GET) system design and construction. The state approved potable use of treated groundwater only after the system’s effectiveness in treating contaminants of concern had been demonstrated. Residents have made no complaints about the quality of the potable water. This is the first instance of groundwater reuse from a Superfund site in a Nebraska municipal potable water system.

The City of Columbus reuses more than 70 percent of the treated flow as potable water, reducing withdrawals from the aquifer and conserving energy. Excess treated water is discharged to the storm sewer system. Because components of the GET system are powered by electricity generated by a nearby hydroelectric dam, the system’s carbon footprint is relatively small.

The project exemplifies sustainable reuse of groundwater from a remedial system, which can be continued as long as the GET system is needed to remediate groundwater contaminants. This project’s success arose from the collaboration between EPA, the city, and state regulatory agencies to conserve valuable water resources.