The Challenge -

Historical operations at the BROS Superfund Site included waste oil storage, processing and disposal. The waste oil operations in addition to a major earthen dike breach in the 1970’s resulted in widespread contamination of soil, groundwater, drinking water supply and wetland sediments. The Site was placed on the NPL in 1983. Remediation of the BROS Superfund Site is complex and requires management of many interconnected issues including:

  • Management of large volumes of investigation data for all types of media;
  • Addressing the immediate needs of the impacted water supply;
  • Development of technically effective and practical remedial design; and
  • Integration of remedial designs to complement and enhance other remedial activities at the Site.

Our Solution

Roux has been working on the BROS site since 1997, beginning with implementation of a $15 million RI program that included pump testing, soil characterization, groundwater characterization, surface water sampling, sediment sampling, wetlands assessments, ecological evaluation and risk assessment. This massive volume of data was managed using environmental data management system software to effectively develop a conceptual site model and a remedial strategy.

In response to the impacted drinking water supply and as part of a community relations effort, Roux designed, permitted and managed construction for two 8-inch diameter ductile iron water main extensions totaling 13,000 feet in length and twelve residential water service connections. Water main extension and water service connection activities included:

  • Installation of the water main extension under challenging conditions including directional boring under existing surface water management features,
    sleeved water main installations under a petroleum pipeline and multiple storm sewers,
  • Coordination with multiple stake holders including residents, USEPA, NJDEP, NJDOT, Gloucester County Department of Public Works, local water supply utility and the local municipality; 
  • Testing of water flowing through the water main to confirm that it was safe for resident consumption including chlorination and bacteria testing; and
  • Site restoration of residences and other disturbed areas including re-paving of roadways (approximately 7,000 feet of water main was installed within a county roadway).

The water main extension and service connection project was completed under budget and resulted in improved relations with the surrounding community.

As part of the final remedy, Roux designed, permitted, coordinated planting activities and is currently maintaining an alternative phytotechnology cover system at the Site.

The alternative phytotechnology cover system required integration and management of several Site challenges including:

  • Minimizing direct contact with waste materials by potential receptors;   
  • Managing stormwater runoff and minimizing infiltration to groundwater;
  • Designing an alternative cover system that would complement and enhance other Site remedies including pump/treat, bioslurping, ISCO and wetlands sediment removal actions; 
  • Minimize future O&M requirements for the cover system;
  • Provide a cover system that transition into adjacent ecologically sensitive areas; and
  • Minimize the volume of additional fill brought onto the Site, therefore, minimizing capital costs for the alternative cover system.

Roux’s resulting design was an approximate 20-acre alternative cover system consisting of approximately 6 to 24 inches of soil cover, 13,000 phytotechnology plantings (hybrid poplars), cool season grasses and minimal structural drainage components. Implementation of this alternative phytotechnology cover system allowed for millions of dollars in savings over a conventional capping system or excavation and removal of contaminated materials.

Although the ROD called for phytotechnology plantings 5 years into the future, Roux worked with the Project Coordinator and the USEPA to move phytotechnology planting up to one of the first remedy components implemented. Moving phytotechnology plantings up by 5 years will provide an estimated consumptive use of 150 million gallons of water, resulting in reduced migration of the groundwater contamination plume and reduced volume of groundwater requiring treatment using other more expensive remedies such as ISCO and bioslurping. The alternative phytotechnology cover system provides additional benefits including low O&M requirements, in-situ biodegradation of organic contaminants, improved water holding capacity in soils and green space.