The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency has proposed an updated plan to expand cleanup of contaminated groundwater in the San Fernando Valley near Glendale, seeking public input on efforts to reduce system downtime and further cut pollution from decades-old industrial activity.
The proposal targets a groundwater plume at the San Fernando Valley (Area 2) Superfund site, where hazardous chemicals from former aerospace and industrial operations have contaminated underground water supplies. The groundwater basin is a key source of drinking water for residents of Los Angeles, Burbank and Glendale.
The plan would increase groundwater treatment capacity by about 150 gallons per minute, bringing total capacity to roughly 5,250 gallons per minute. According to EPA officials responding to a media inquiry Tuesday, the project’s primary goal is not to significantly increase pumping, but to reduce system downtime caused by routine maintenance.
Residents are unlikely to notice major disruptions as the proposal involves limited construction, including a new well and upgrades to an existing treatment facility, officials said.
“EPA encourages the community to learn about our proposed Area 2 cleanup plan and share their perspectives,” Michael Montgomery, director of the agency’s Pacific Southwest Region Superfund and Emergency Management Division, said in a statement. “This proposal is an important step forward to protect groundwater and ensure safe drinking water for communities in the San Fernando Valley.”
The San Fernando Superfund site spans roughly 6,680 acres and is one of four such sites in the region. Since 2000, EPA says its groundwater treatment systems have cleaned more than 58 billion gallons of water.
The cleanup system pumps contaminated groundwater, removes pollutants and then returns the treated water to the local water supply. Water currently served to the public meets all state and federal health and safety standards and is safe to drink, according to the agency.
Groundwater contamination in the region dates back to World War II-era manufacturing, when chemicals such as industrial solvents and chromium were improperly handled and seeped into the aquifer. In the 1980s, contamination forced the shutdown of Crystal Springs wellfield, a key drinking water source within the Area 2 site, reducing the reliability of local water.
The San Fernando Valley groundwater basin remains an important local water source. In 2022, the Los Angeles Department of Water and Power said it supplies about 10% of the city’s water, with the potential to provide up to 21% in an average year.
EPA officials said the upgrades are intended to better contain groundwater contamination beneath Glendale and ensure the system consistently meets its target pumping rate.
The agency expects to finalize the cleanup plan later this year following a public comment period. Design work would take an estimated two to three years, with construction anticipated to begin around 2028 and continue through 2031.
The project is expected to cost about $20.5 million, including 30 years of operation. EPA said the work will be funded by companies responsible for the contamination, rather than taxpayers.
The agency is accepting public comment on the proposal from March 16 through April 14 and will host both an in-person and a virtual meeting before finalizing a cleanup plan. EPA officials said they’re seeking public input on the proposal and how the cleanup can best serve the community.
An in-person meeting is scheduled for March 25, from 5:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m., at the Glendale Arts & Culture Library, 222 E. Harvard St. in Glendale. No registration is required. A virtual meeting via Zoom will be held April 1 from 5:30 pm to 7:30 pm, registration is available on the San Fernando Valley Area 2 Superfund site webpage.
“All comments on the proposed cleanup plan will be recorded and responded to,” the agency said. “These comments may impact how this cleanup will ultimately be done, and we encourage the public to get involved.”
