What is the status of the drinking water contamination in Santa Monica, CA, the city with the first significant incidence of MTBE contamination?
In 1996, the city of Santa Monica learned that two of its drinking water wellfields, Charnock and Arcadia, were contaminated with MTBE at levels as high as 610 ppb and 86 ppb respectively. In response, the two wellfields, representing 50 percent of the city’s drinking water supply were shut down and the city began purchasing replacement water. This incident was the first major water contamination which brought public attention to MTBE. EPA’s Region 9 and the Los Angeles Regional Water Quality Control Board (RWQCB) are pursuing a joint enforcement action at the Charnock wellfield in Santa Monica. Site-specific clean-up is underway. At the smaller Arcadia wellfield, the RWQCB has the lead while EPA provides technical support and field oversight of the clean-up.
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