MASSACHUSETTS MILITARY RESERVATION, Cape Cod, Mass. —The Air Force Center for Environmental Excellence (AFCEE) is investigating a potential new plume. The new area of groundwater contamination is located in the southwest area of the Massachusetts Military Reservation, between two known plume areas – Chemical Spill 10 (CS-10) and Landfill 1 (LF-1). The contaminant of concern in this area is trichloroethene (TCE). TCE is a cleaning solvent and has a state and federal drinking water standard (maximum contaminant level or MCL) of 5 parts per billion (ppb). The highest detection in this area for TCE has been 29 ppb. All residences in this area are on the base water supply; thus eliminating any potential risk from exposure to contaminated groundwater. Residential homes immediately downgradient of this area are all on Falmouth municipal water supplied by the town of Falmouth. There are no municipal wells currently threatened by this new area of groundwater contamination.

Next Steps: AFCEE will install more monitoring wells, resample existing wells, and evaluate subsurface geologic conditions. AFCEE will be working closely with the US Environmental Protection Agency, the Massachusetts Department of Environmental Protection and the Massachusetts Department of Public Health in reviewing the sampling results and determining the source and extent of this new area of groundwater contamination. Periodic updates have been given to the Senior Management Board (SMB) and the Plume Cleanup Team (PCT). Officials in the town of Falmouth have also been notified. For additional information about this project, please call Doug Karson, AFCEE Community Involvement Specialist, at 508-968-4678, ext. 2.