UNITED STATES ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY
REGION II
: August 22, 1988
r [. Request for a Twelve Month E x e m p t i o n for the TUTU W e l l S i t e ,
' ' S a i n t Thomas, US V i r g i n I s l a n d s - ACTION M E M O R A N D U M
u= Carl os 
E. O ' N e i l 1
On Scene Coordinator, CFO
TO:
W i l l i a m Mus zyns ki
A c t i n g Regional Administrator
RU: /Stephen tTT* Luf t i g , D i r e c t o r
Emergency and R e m e d i a l Response D i v i s i o n
I.
ISSUE
Continued response actions which exceed a twelve-month time
period cannot be undertaken u n l e s s an exemption from Section
104(c)(l) of the C o m p r e h e n s i v e E n v i r o n m e n t a l Response,
Compensation and L i a b i l i t y Act (CERCLA) of 1980, as amended
by the Superfund Amendments and R e a u t h o r i z a t i o n Act (SARA) of
1986, is granted. 
R e m o v a l a c t i v i t i e s were i n i t i a t e d at the
TUTU W e l l Site in Saint Thomas, U.S. V i r g i n I s l a n d s on September
1, 1987, and the twelve month time l i m i t a t i o n for removal
actions under CERCLA/SARA w i l l e x p i r e on the same day in 1988.
Circumstances, discussed on the f o l l o w i n g pages, h a v e arisen
which w i l l prevent the removal action from being completed w i t h i n
the authorized time period. 
These same c i r c u m s t a n c e s prevent an
of the amount of t i m e r e q u i r e d to complete
As a result, an exemption from the t w e l v e
hereby requested to c o n t i n u e to p r o v i d e an
p o t a b l e water to the affected residents.
accurate e s t i m a t i o n
t h i s removal action
month time l i m i t i s
alternate s u p p l y of
II. 
BACKGROUND
A . 
Incident/Response History
On July 15, 1987, Mr. A l a n S m i t h , C o m m i s s i o n e r of the Department
of P l a n n i n g and Natural Resources 
(DPNR), U.S. V i r g i n I s l a n d s ,
v e r b a l l y requested from the U.S. E n v i r o n m e n t a l Protection Agency
(EPA) to p r o v i d e a n a l y t i c a l support in the s a m p l i n g of one well
REGION II FORM 132O-1 (9/85)
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w h i c h was reported to e x h i b i t a strong u n p l e a s a n t odor. 
T h i s
well was a major source of commercially provided potable
water for the eastern p o r t i o n of S a i n t Thomas. 
The w e l l is
located on the eastern part of the i s l a n d in the Tutu Section
of Anna's Retreat. 
This v e r b a l request was f o l l o w e d by an
additional request for ERA to assume the role of Lead Agency
after s a m p l i n g results i n d i c a t e d that several c o m m e r c i a l
wells were found to be contaminated with hazardous substances.
T h i s v e r b a l request was followed by a formal request in
w r i t i n g from DPNR on August 10, 1987.
EPA's p r e l i m i n a r y i n v e s t i g a t i o n commenced on J u l y 21, 1987,
w i t h a f i e l d reconnaissance and s a m p l i n g of t h i s one w e l l and
s i x a d d i t i o n a l w e l l s i d e n t i f i e d i n t h e i m m e d i a t e area.
Several of these w e l l s were also major water s u p p l i e r s of
p u b l i c d r i n k i n g water for the eastern part of the i s l a n d .
Laboratory results from t h i s survey i n d i c a t e d that t h e i n i t i a l
well was h i g h l y contaminated with g a s o l i n e and c h l o r i n a t e d
o r g a n i c s , a n d t h e a d d i t i o n a l s i x w e l l s c o n t a i n e d e l e v a t e d
l e v e l s of chlorinated v o l a t i l e organic compounds. 
Rased on
these r e s u l t s , DPNR d e c l a r e d that an i m m i n e n t h e a l t h t h r e a t
existed, which could affect approximately 20,000 people l i v i n g
in St. Thomas.
In a d d i t i o n , an i n d e f i n i t e number of t o u r i s t s v a c a t i o n i n g
in St. Thomas were at risk, since these c o m m e r c i a l w e l l s
s u p p l i e d water to major h o t e l s and r e s t a u r a n t s . 
DPNR issued
orders to close these seven c o m m e r c i a l w e l l s in order to
protect p u b l i c h e a l t h .
Subsequent t o t h i s a c t i o n , E R A e x p a n d e d t h e i r s a m p l i n g p l a n
due to the threat of greater c o n t a m i n a t i o n to d r i n k i n g water
w e l l s in the area. 
ERA a l o n g with DPNR, i d e n t i f i e d other
w e l l s w i t h i n the Tutu W a t e r / T u r p e n t i n e Run A q u i f e r w h i c h may
have been impacted by the hazardous substances i d e n t i f i e d to be
present in the groundwater. 
A second round of g r o u n d w a t e r
well s a m p l i n g took place on August 10 and 11, 1987, which
i n c l u d e d a total of twenty-four (24) w e l l s i d e n t i f i e d in the
Tutu Section of Anna's Retreat. 
All twenty-four w e l l s were
s a m p l e d and analyzed for v o l a t i l e o r g a n i c compounds. 
F o l l o w i n g
these results, DPNR closed five p r i v a t e w e l l s which serviced
two three-family homes and one a p a r t m e n t b u i l d i n g h o u s i n g of
t w e l v e studio units.
! !T 
002 
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A third round of groundwater w e l l s a m p l i n g took p l a c e on
October 5 and 6, 1987, which i n c l u d e d twenty-four (24) w e l l s
p r e v i o u s l y i d e n t i f i e d i n t h e T u r p e n t i n e R u n Aquifer. 
A l l
twenty-four w e l l s were sampled and analyzed for f u l l Hazardous
Substance List (HSL) compounds. 
From these results, ERA
once a g a i n confirmed the gross c o n t a m i n a t i o n of the groundwater
wells with v o l a t i l e organic compounds (VOC). Major contaminants
in groundwater are tetrach1oroethy1ene (PCE), trans 1-2
d i c h l o r o e t h y 1 e n e (DCE) and benzene. 
The EPA's Removal Action
Level (RAL) of 66 ppb for PCE was exceeded in seven (7) w e l l s ,
the RAL of 175 ppb for DCE was exceeded in three (3) w e l l s , and
the RAL of 120 ppb for benzene was exceeded in one (1) w e l l .
There was one (1) a d d i t i o n a l w e l l found below the ERA R e m o v a l
Action Level, but above the U.S. V i r g i n Island's i n t e r i m
m a x i m u m p e r m i s s i b l e concentration l e v e l s set on September 1,
1987, by DPNR for v o l a t i l e organics in d r i n k i n g water in the
Turpentine Run A q u i f e r (50 ppb for a s i n g l e compound or 100
ppb for total v o l a t i l e o r g a n i c compounds). 
F i v e of the seven
previously mentioned w e l l s were r e s i d e n t i a l wells.
EPA and DPNR commenced an i n v e s t i g a t i o n of the Tutu Water/
Turpentine Run A q u i f e r by i s s u i n g Enforcement Orders to PRP's
to define Potential R e s p o n s i b l e Parties and d e t e r m i n e the
extent of contamination. 
EPA i n i t i a t e d a m o n t h l y / q u a r t e r l y
w e l l m o n i t o r i n g program. 
UPNR issued a total of ten (10)
orders to well owners to close sixteen (16) w e l l s and issued
two (2) advisory letters to owners not to use w e l l water for
d r i n k i n g , bath ing and wash ing.
EPA i n i t i a t e d a removal action on September 1, 1987. 
The
action i n v o l v e d c l e a n i n g the homeowner's c i s t e r n s that had
been contaminated by hazardous s u b s t a n c e s from the y r o u n d w a t e r ,
modifying the e x i s t i n g home p l u m b i n g to t e r m i n a t e well
connections, and d e l i v e r i n g clean water to 3 w e l l owners via
tank trucks on a regular basis, and e s t a b l i s h i n g a s u r v e i l l a n c e
program for all w e l l s in the area by a m o n t h l y / q u a r t e r l y
groundwater m o n i t o r i n g program. 
This Phase I, short-term
removal action has m i t i g a t e d the t h r e a t to p u b l i c h e a l t h by
p r o v i d i n g a temporary a l t e r n a t e source of water for affected
consumers .
This site is not on the National Priorities List (NPL), nor is
it currently proposed.
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B. 
Site C o n d i t i o n s
The long term s o l u t i o n to t h i s p r o b l e m appears to be the
extension of a p u b l i c water m a i n to the affected residences.
I m p l e m e n t a t i o n of t h i s p l a n has been delayed due to the
budgetary constraints f a c i n g the R e m o v a l Program. 
As a
r e s u l t , t r u c k i n g water d e l i v e r i e s a r e c o n t i n u i n g u n t i l t h e
funds necessary to extend the water m a i n are o b t a i n e d .
A w a i t i n g this f u n d i n g has prevented t h i s s i t e from b e i n g
completed w i t h i n t h e t w e l v e month statutory l i m i t .
I I I . EXEMPTION FROM STATUTORY L I M I T S
Section 104(c)(1) of C E R C L A l i m i t s Federal removal a c t i o n s to
twelve months in d u r a t i o n u n l e s s c e r t a i n c r i t e r i a are met.
These c r i t e r i a , along w i t h a d i s c u s s i o n of how t h i s site
conforms to them, are d i s c u s s e d in the f o l l o w i n g p a r a g r a p h s .
*
A. 
There is an Immediate R i s k to P u b l i c H e a l t h , W e l f a r e or
the E n v i r o n m e n t
T h i s is a case of actual w e l l water c o n t a m i n a t i o n in excess
of the EPA's 66 ppb removal action l e v e l s (RAL) for PCE, 175
ppb RAL for DCE, 120 ppb RAL for benzene and 48 ppb RAL for
m e t h y l e n e c h l o r i d e a f f e c t i n g two m u l t i - f a m i l y d w e l l i n g s and an
apartment complex h o u s i n g t w e l v e s t u d i o u n i t s . 
In a d d i t i o n
to the exposure via c o n s u m p t i o n of water, or e a t i n g food
prepared with t h i s water, showering with water c o n t a m i n a t e d
w i t h v o l a t i l e organ i c s c o n t a m i n a t e the air. 
T h i s causes an
e l e v a t i o n i n h o u s e h o l d a i r c o n t a m i n a n t c o n c e n t r a t i o n s a n d
exposes residents t h r o u g h i n h a l a t i o n and a d s o r p t i o n through
the s k i n . 
Contaminated water s u p p l i e s , therefore, pose a
serious threat not only t h r o u g h d r i n k i n g and c o o k i n g , but
also through s h o w e r i n g , b a t h i n g , and d i s h w a s h i n g . 
A complete
history of s a m p l e results taken to date has been i n c l u d e d in
Attachment "A". 
Since our i n i t i a t i o n of t h i s removal a c t i o n ,
the concentrations of c o n t a m i n a n t s has not d i m i n i s h e d at the
r e s i d e n t i a l w e l l s . 
For e x a m p l e : S m i t h , Steele and Harvey
w e l l s have consistently shown h i g h l e v e l s of PCE a b o v e the
EPA's Removal Action L e v e l s (RAL).
B. 
Continued Response Actions are I in mediately R e q u i r e d to
Prevent, L i m i t or M i t i g a t e an Emergency
The c o n t a m i n a t i o n e x i s t i n g at t h i s s i t e is an emergency in
that r e s i d e n t i a l p o t a b l e water s u p p l i e s are c o n t a m i n a t e d with
hazardous materials. 
P r o v i s i o n of t r u c k i n g water by EPA to
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the residents has reduced the risk of exposure by i n g e s t i o n ,
and contact t h r o u g h b a t h i n g and s h o w e r i n g . 
If t h i s t w e l v e
month exemption request is not a p p r o v e d , t r u c k i n g water
d e l i v e r i e s w i l l have to be t e r m i n a t e d . 
This w o u l d l e a v e
residents w i t h only t h e i r own c o n t a m i n a t e d w e l l s as a p o t a b l e
source of water and would result in a d i r e c t exposure p r o b l e m .
C . Assistance W i l l Not Otherwise be P r o v i d e d on a Timely B a s i s
of government has agreed to take any a c t i o n on
w h i c h could p r o v i d e an adequate s o l u t i o n to
i n v e s t i g a t e d t h i s area, a n d
i d e n t i f i e d . 
However, at thi
u n l i k e l y .
No other level
a t i m e l y basis
t h i s problem. 
ERA enforcement has
some R e s p o n s i b l e Parties have been
t i m e , a PRP removal a c t i o n appears
IV.
R E C O M M E N D A T I O N
C o n d i t i o n s at t h i s site continues
removal action under CERCLA 104(c^
the approval of an exemption from
a l l o w the c o n t i n u a t i o n of removal
Site in Saint Thomas, U.S. V i r g i n
to meet the c r i t e r i a for a
(1). 
Therefore, I recommend
the twelve month l i m i t and
a c t i v i t i e s at the TUTU W e l l
I s l a n d .
Your a u t h o r i t y to approve t h i s t i m e e x e m p t i o n is p u r s u a n t to
A d m i n i s t r a t o r ' s September 21, 1987 M e m o r a n d u m D e l e g a t i o n 14-3.
A P P R O V E D
DISAPPRO
DATE
DATE
cc: (after a p p r o v a l is o b t a i n e d
J. M a r s h a l 1 , 2ADRA
R. S a l k i e , 2ERR-RPO
S. L u f t i g , 2ERRD
B. Sprague, 2ERR-RP
G. Zachos, 2 E R R - R P
J. Czapor, 2ERR-SC
G. P a v l o u , 2 E R R - N Y C R A
J. M a l l e c k , 2WMD-OWM
V. P i t r u z z e l l o , 2ERR-PS
M. R a n d a l , 20EP
E. Schaff, 20RC-SUP
R. G h e r a r d i , 20PM-FIN
S. A n d e r s o n , PM-214F (express
mai 1 )
T . F i e l d s , W H - 5 4 8 B
A . S m i t h , 
D P N R - U S V I