Southeast Community Information

Nockamixon TCE HSCA Site

This page was last updated on January 16, 2025

Site Facts

Municipality/County:
Nockamixon Township, Bucks County 

Site Location:
Area of Brennan Road, Mountain View Drive, and Durham Road, including portions of Easton Road, Cord Way, Tower Road, Park Drive West in Nockamixon Township.

Hazardous Sites Cleanup Program Site (HSCA) Since:
2009

Primary Contaminants of Concern:
Trichloroethene (TCE), Tetrachloroethene (PCE), other chlorinated solvents, and 1,4-Dioxane  

Detected in:
Soil, Ground Water, and Surface Water

Impacting:
Drinking Water and Indoor Air

Completed DEP Response Actions:
Drinking Water (2011), Indoor Air (2018)

DEP Project Officer:
Dustin Armstrong, 484-250-5723 or darmstrong@pa.gov

 

Background

The Nockamixon TCE HSCA Site is located in Nockamixon Township, Bucks County, Pennsylvania.  Chlorinated solvents have contaminated the soil, surface water, and groundwater at the Site.  DEP has identified a former 77.2-acre farm on Brennan Road as the source of the contamination.  The farm, which was subdivided into nine parcels in 1978, housed drums of unknown contents and other deposited/buried wastes.  Property owners removed the drums in 1980, but subsequent investigations revealed elevated concentrations of chlorinated solvents in the areas where the drums had been stored.

In 2009, the Bucks County Health Department notified DEP of Trichloroethene (TCE) contamination in wells serving a local restaurant and several homes. Between 2009 and 2011, DEP sampled more than 100 private drinking water wells in the area.  Chlorinated solvents, TCE, and/or Tetrachloroethene (PCE) exceeded Safe Drinking Water Maximum Contaminant Levels in wells serving 45 homes.  DEP subsequently installed carbon filter systems on 42 of those homes.

Indoor air of two residential properties near the contamination source areas was impacted by vapor intrusion (VI).  DEP subsequently installed vapor mitigation systems in those homes.   

What are Chlorinated Solvents?

  • Chlorinated solvents such as Trichloroethylene (TCE) and Tetrachloroethylene (PCE) are commonly used in circuit board manufacturing, the textile industry, and for the removal of grease from metal parts. PCE is also used for dry cleaning.

  • 1,4-Dioxane was used as a stabilizer for chlorinated solvents and was used in a variety of products including paint strippers, dyes, greases, varnishes, and waxes.

  • Chlorinated solvents are among the most common soil and groundwater contaminants.  Routes of exposure can include ingestion, inhalation, and skin contact. 

What is being done to clean up the Site?

  • Since 2009, DEP and its contractors have conducted soil, surface water, and groundwater investigations to determine the nature and extent of contamination in the Site area.

  • Based on these investigations, DEP has determined that the Site should be listed on the Pennsylvania Priority List of Hazardous Sites for Remedial Response (PAPL)

    • The PAPL identifies sites that are expected to need significant resources to address threats to the public health, safety, or the environment.
    • The Hazard Ranking System (HRS) is used to rank sites for placement on the PAPL. DEP has prepared an HRS Documentation Record (PDF) and reference documents (PDF).

  • The HRS score is calculated from the potential for human or environmental exposure to the contaminants of concern through groundwater, surface water, air, and soil.

Nockamixon TCE HSCA Site PAPL Listing

  • On January 18, 2025, DEP will publish a notice in the Pennsylvania Bulletin to place the Nockamixon TCE HSCA Site on the PAPL (link).  

  • DEP will accept public comments on the Site’s PAPL listing from January 18, 2025 to February 17, 2025.  All written comments and DEP's responses will be placed into the site file and will later be incorporated into the Administrative Record.

How to Submit Comments

  • Written comments can be submitted by sending them by mail to:

    Dustin A. Armstrong
    Environmental Protection Specialist at the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection
    2 East Main Street
    Norristown, PA 19401

    Or by emailing Dustin at: darmstrong@pa.gov 
    Please include “Nockamixon Public Comment” in the subject of the email.

What happens next?

Following listing on the PAPL, DEP will issue an Analysis of Alternatives to evaluate the potential remedies to clean up the source of the contamination.  The Analysis of Alternatives will be available for public review for 90 days.  DEP will hold a combined informational public meeting and hearing during this review period for members of the community to learn about the potential remedies and to provide comments. 

  • The Analysis of Alternatives will incorporate information from the following documents:

  • A November 2023 Technical Screening Evaluation Memorandum (PDF) prepared by GES on behalf of DEP identified potential remedies to address contamination in source area soil, source area groundwater, and non-source area groundwater.

  • A July 2024 Remedial Alternatives Analysis Report (PDF) prepared by GES on behalf of DEP describes additional source area investigation activities performed since 2021 and evaluates potential remediation alternatives.

Community Outreach

DEP Presentations and Fact Sheets:

Report an Environmental Health Concern


Bucks County residents with an environmental health concern are encouraged to contact the Bucks County Health Department, 215-345-3318.

Pennsylvanians that have environmental health related questions can contact the PA Department of Health (PA DOH), where they will be evaluated and referred to an appropriate program area for potential investigation and follow-up.

  • Phone: 717-787-3350

Additional Information

  • In 2009, the Bucks County Health Department (BCHD) referred the Site to DEP after discovering TCE contamination in wells serving a restaurant located at the intersection of Durham Road and Easton Road, and several homes in the surrounding area.  Between 2009 and 2011, DEP sampled more than 100 private drinking water wells, and 45 of those wells exceeded the Safe Drinking Water Maximum Contaminant Level (MCL) of 5 parts per billion (ppb) for TCE or PCE.

  • An Administrative Record was opened for a 90-day public comment beginning in April 2011. DEP held a public hearing on May 25, 2011.

 

Drinking Water Response Administrative Record – Opened April 16, 2011 (PDF)

  • DEP issued its Statement of Decision (SOD) on August 15, 2011. In the SOD, DEP selected the installation of whole house carbon filtration systems to address private drinking water wells with TCE or PCE exceeding MCLs.

 

Statement of Decision – August 25, 2011 (PDF)

  • DEP installed carbon filtration systems at 42 affected properties.

  • DEP monitored and maintained the carbon filtration systems for one year before turning them over to the property owners.

  • Agreements known as Environmental Covenants have been attached to the deeds for the properties where filter systems were installed. The Environmental Covenants include the following limitations and filter maintenance requirements:

  • Groundwater should not be used unless it first passes through a whole house carbon filtration system or equivalent, which shall be maintained in accordance with the manufacturer’s specifications.

  • The Property’s water supply is to be sampled before and after the carbon filtration system every three to five years.

  • The filters in the carbon filtration system shall be replaced every five years or in accordance with the manufacturer’s specifications.
     

Site-Related Drinking Water FAQs:

  • DEP sampled my potable water supply in the past; how can I obtain a copy of the results?

  • Please contact one of the Site Project Officers listed at the bottom of the Site webpage.

  • Will DEP come to my property to re-sample my water supply?

  • Responsibility for monitoring and maintenance of the carbon filtration systems was turned over to the property owners one year after their installation.  DEP recommends that property owners sample their water supply before and after the carbon filtration system every three to five years.  A laboratory accredited in Pennsylvania for the analysis of Volatile Organic Compounds (VOCs) should be used.  This search tool and accompanying instruction page (PDF) can be used to find laboratories which are currently accredited in PA.  Please use the primary contaminants of concern listed on this web page for the “analyte” field in the search tool.

  • My carbon filtration system is due for maintenance or replacement, who should I contact?

  • DEP recommends contacting your local plumber or well maintenance vendor for service.

  • Are there other resources to consider for the sampling and maintenance of my potable well?

  • DEP evaluated vapor intrusion (VI) into residences near the contamination source areas.  VI is the pathway where TCE and PCE vapors may be entering homes near the source area due to the soil and groundwater contamination. DEP collected indoor air samples from eight occupied residences, and detected TCE and/or PCE in four of the eight residences.  Two residences were evaluated for health risks, and both exceeded acceptable criteria.

  • DEP determined that a response should not be delayed by the development of an administrative record and initiated a “Prompt Interim Response” to install vapor mitigation systems on the two residences.

  • An Administrative Record was open for 90-day public comment beginning in June 2018.  A public hearing was held on July 19, 2018.  DEP did not receive any comments.  DEP issued its Statement of Decision on September 19, 2018.

Indoor Air Response Administrative Record – Opened June 2, 2018 (PDF) 

Statement of Decision – September 19, 2018 (PDF)

  • Agreements known as Environmental Covenants have been attached to the deeds for the two properties where vapor intrusion mitigation systems were installed to ensure their continued operation.

  • Additional soil gas and indoor air sampling performed in 2019 and 2020 did not reveal further VI concerns.

  • In 2009, the Bucks County Health Department (BCHD) referred the Site to DEP after discovering TCE contamination in wells serving a restaurant located at the intersection of Durham Road and Easton Road, and several homes in the surrounding area.

  • Two reports describe investigation activities prior to the Site’s 2009 referral:

  • Since 2009, DEP and its contractors have conducted soil, surface water, and groundwater investigations to determine the nature and extent of contamination in the Site area. 

  • A former 77.2-acre farm on Brennan Road has been identified as the source of the contamination.  The farm, which was subdivided into nine parcels in 1978, housed drums of unknown contents and other deposited/buried wastes.  Property owners removed the drums in 1980, but subsequent investigations revealed elevated concentrations of chlorinated solvents in the areas where the drums had been stored.

  • A December 2015 Site Characterization Report (PDF) and February 2020 Addendum (PDF) prepared by Tetra Tech on behalf of DEP documented soil gas and soil sampling activities which further characterized the nature and extent of contamination at the Site.

  • A January 2022 Technical Memorandum (PDF) prepared by GES on behalf of DEP documented the results of a fracture trace study and surficial geophysical investigation at the Site.

  • In Spring 2022, DEP collected surface water samples from shallow pools in a forested area of Nockamixon State Park accessed from Park Drive West.  One sample located near the former farm property contained contamination above applicable water quality standards.  Site-related contamination was not detected in a second sample collected near Lake Nockamixon.  DEP returned during dry conditions in Spring 2023 and was unable to collect a follow up sample.  DEP will continue to monitor surface water in this area of the park.  Additional information is available in the July 2024 Remedial Alternatives Analysis Report, below. Community members are asked to not drink the surface water in the park.

  • DEP has sampled the monitoring well locations annually since their installation and intends to continue this annual sampling effort.

Community Updates

To subscribe to updates, please send an email to: darmstrong@pa.gov. Please indicate in the subject line or text of the email that you’d like to receive updates related to the Nockamixon Site.

Additional Contact Information 

DEP Site Related Questions:
Dustin Armstrong
Site Project Officer
484-250-5723 or
darmstrong@pa.gov

Christine McCarthy
HSCA Supervisor
484-250-5725 or
chmccarthy@pa.gov

DEP Community and Media Relations:
Stephanie Berardi
Regional Communications Manager
484-250-5808 or
sberardi@pa.gov

DEP Legislative Inquiries:
Lisa Strobridge P.G.
Local Government Liaison
484-250-5817 or 
lstrobridg@pa.gov

Municipality Information: 
Nockamixon Township
610-847-5058 or
nockamixon@ptd.net