Impacts of Fly Ash on 

Groundwater in Anne Arunde

County, Maryland 

Presented by Health Officer 

Frances B. Phillips 

Maryland Association of County 

Health Officers Meeting 

Baltimore, Mar

ylan

d

October 11, 2007 

West Count

y Groundwater Qualit

y 

http://www.aahealth.or

g/gambrills

_

101107

_

files/slide0020.htm 
Impacts of Fly Ash on Groundwater i

Anne Arundel County, Maryland 

• Investigation began in October 2006 after notificatio

from Constellation Power Source Generation. 

• Monitorin

g wells at a sand and 

gravel pit and a nearb

residential well showed elevated levels of metals and sulfates during monitoring as required by MDE. 

• Sand and gravel pits have been reclaimed by fly ash 

deposition since 1995. 

• Anne Arundel County Department of Health respond

by conductin

g several rounds of water samplin

g for 

metals and sulfates to determine private well water qualit

y in this area.

West Count

y Groundwater Qualit

y 

http://www.aahealth.or

g/gambrills

_

101107

_

files/slide0008.htm 
Mailed or delivered approximately 150 letters requesting to sample resident’

As of 3/26/07 85 residents responded and have been tested. 

West Count

y Groundwater Qualit

y 

http://www.aahealth.or

g/gambrills

_

101107

_

files/slide0008.htm 
West Count

y Groundwater Qualit

y 

http://www.aahealth.or

g/gambrills

_

101107

_

files/slide0028.htm 
West Count

y Groundwater Qualit

y 

http://www.aahealth.or

g/gambrills

_

101107

_

files/slide0025.htm 
West Count

y Groundwater Qualit

y 

http://www.aahealth.or

g/gambrills

_

101107

_

files/slide0040.htm 
Constituents of Fly Ash

• Sulfate • Aluminum • Arsenic • Cadmium • Thallium • Selenium • Manganese 

• Many other trace metals

West Count

y Groundwater Qualit

y 

http://www.aahealth.or

g/gambrills

_

101107

_

files/slide0024.htm 
Results and Current Status of 

Investigation 

• Tested 83 properties during the four roun

of sampling 

• All results have been received and report

to the property owners 

• The following metals and sulfates have 

been found in some wells 

West Count

y Groundwater Qualit

y 

http://www.aahealth.or

g/gambrills

_

101107

_

files/slide0009.htm 
Round 1

5 Wells Sampled 

• 4 exceed Cadmium MCL • 1 exceeds Beryllium MCL • 3 exceed Thallium MCL • 5 exceed Aluminum SMCL • 5 exceed Manganese SMCL • 4 exceed Sulfates SMCL

•Results are 

pretreatment 

MCL = Maximum Contaminant Level SMCL = Secondary Maximum Contaminant Level

West Count

y Groundwater Qualit

y 

http://www.aahealth.or

g/gambrills

_

101107

_

files/slide0016.htm 
Round 2

12 Wells Sampled 

• 4 exceed Lead MCL • 1 exceeds Thallium MCL • 6 exceed Aluminum SMCL 

• 3 exceed Manganese SMCL 

• 1 exceeds Sulfates SMCL • 2 wells meet EPA Standards

MCL = Maximum Contaminant Level SMCL = Secondary Maximum Contaminant Level

West Count

y Groundwater Qualit

y 

http://www.aahealth.or

g/gambrills

_

101107

_

files/slide0017.htm 
Round 3

11 Wells Sampled 

• 2 exceed Cadmium MCL • 2 exceed Thallium MCL • 3 exceed Lead MCL • 1 exceeds Arsenic MCL • 11 exceed Aluminum SMCL 

• 5 exceed Manganese SMCL 

MCL = Maximum Contaminant Level SMCL = Secondary Maximum Contaminant Level

West Count

y Groundwater Qualit

y 

http://www.aahealth.or

g/gambrills

_

101107

_

files/slide0018.htm 
Round 4

55 Wells Sampled 

• 13 exceed Lead MCL • 22 exceed Aluminum SMCL 

• 1 exceeds Manganese SMCL 

• 24 wells meet EPA Standards 

MCL = Maximum Contaminant Level SMCL = Secondary Maximum Contaminant Level

West Count

y Groundwater Qualit

y 

http://www.aahealth.or

g/gambrills

_

101107

_

files/slide0019.htm 
Results Table

Beryllium

4 1-5 ppb 1 N/A 4 ppb

5

1443

N/AN/AN/AN/A

Number of 

Wells At or 

Exceeding 

SMCL

N/AN/AN/A

6

20

61

Number of 

Wells At 

or 

Exceeding 

MCL

10,000-

N/A 250

1,189,800 pp

b

Sulfates 45

Manganese 14 60-2,370 ppb

No MCL 

Aluminum 43 100-55,800 ppb

No MCL 50

Thallium

8 1-6 ppb 2 ppb

Lead 35 5-160 ppb 15 ppb

(often related to 

household plumbing)

Cadmium

7 4.4-16 ppb 5 ppb

Arsenic

4 3-25 ppb 10 ppb

S

EPA 

MCL

Amount 

Detected 

(Range)

Detected 

in 

Number 

of Wells

Substance

West Count

y Groundwater Qualit

y 

http://www.aahealth.or

g/gambrills

_

101107

_

files/slide0014.htm 
MCL (maximum contaminant level) Highest level of the substance allowed 

wateraccording to standards set by the EPA SMCL (Secondary Maximum Contaminant Level) – Recommended drinking set by THE EPA as a non-enforceable guideline that may cause cosmetic or 

This reflects data received as of 4/1/07.

West Count

y Groundwater Qualit

y 

http://www.aahealth.or

g/gambrills

_

101107

_

files/slide0014.htm 
Health Facts on Fly Ash Constituents

References EPA. Drinking Water Contaminants. Updated Oct 19 2006. Available at http://www.epa.gov/safewater/mcl.htmlATSDR. Public Health Statements. Updated Nov 11 2006. Available at http://www.atsdr.cdc.gov/phshome.html

West Count

y Groundwater Qualit

y 

http://www.aahealth.or

g/gambrills

_

101107

_

files/slide0026.htm 
Public Water Supply 

• Fortunatel

y, majorit

y of surroundin

g area is serv

by public water supply. 

• Public well field consists of 9 wells that range i

depth from 580 ft. to 1,245 ft. into a much deepaquifer than that used by affected private wells. 

• These aquifers are thought to be separated by a 

significant confining layer of clay. 

• Public water supply wells have been tested and 

found to be free of fly ash constituents.

West Count

y Groundwater Qualit

y 

http://www.aahealth.or

g/gambrills

_

101107

_

files/slide0023.htm 
Public Notification 

• All properties where well water was sampled w

notified of results in writing. Many of the ownsou

ght follow-up information from Departmen

sanitarians. 

• Results also provided as they were received to 

both MDE and Constellation Power Source Generation. 

• Several media outlets and private attorneys 

received results as result of a FOIA request.

West Count

y Groundwater Qualit

y 

http://www.aahealth.or

g/gambrills

_

101107

_

files/slide0022.htm 
Next Steps 

• Au

gust 2007: Count

y Executive announces in

to ban all fl

y ash dum

pin

g in the Count

y. 

• August 2007: MDE and Constellation begin 

closed ne

gotiations to reach an ou

t-of-court 

settlement regarding multiple permit violations

• September 17, 2007: Constellation voluntarily 

sus

pends all ash 

placement at the BBSS site. 

• September 17, 2007: Public Hearing on Bill 6

07 to ban future fly ash deposition in Anne Arundel County.

West Count

y Groundwater Qualit

y 

http://www.aahealth.or

g/gambrills

_

101107

_

files/slide0010.htm 
Future Concerns/Goals 

• Permanent potable water suppl

y for those 

properties with drinking water exceedances 

• Air quality protection 

• Full clean up of contaminated groundwater in t

area 

• Ensure all affected residents receive a full heal

assessment 

• Reimbursement to Department for investigatio

costs (>$100,000) 

West Count

y Groundwater Qualit

y 

http://www.aahealth.or

g/gambrills

_

101107

_

files/slide0027.htm 
October 1, 2007

• Consent decree si

gned b

y MDE and Constellat

and made public 

• $1,000,000 fine issued to Constellation Power 

Source Generation b

y MDE 

• Provide alternate potable water supply to 40 

properties affected by fly ash deposition 

• Remediate the contamination 

• Require new engineering controls at the BBSS • Monitor groundwater conditions on and off-sit

West Count

y Groundwater Qualit

y 

http://www.aahealth.or

g/gambrills

_

101107

_

files/slide0030.htm 
October 1, 2007

• Anne Arundel County Council 

unanimously (6-0) passes amended Bill 607, resultin

g in a 1 

year ban on fl

y ash 

deposition on an

y new site in Anne Arun

County. 

• County Executive signs this bill into law 

October 2, 2007 

West Count

y Groundwater Qualit

y 

http://www.aahealth.or

g/gambrills

_

101107

_

files/slide0031.htm 
Issues still to resolve 

• Implementation of consent decree • Air quality investigation resulting from 

widespread resident complaints 

• Health assessments of residents in the are• State regulations regarding coal ash 

deposition 

West Count

y Groundwater Qualit

y 

http://www.aahealth.or

g/gambrills

_

101107

_

files/slide0032.htm 
Media Coverage 

West Count

y Groundwater Qualit

y 

http://www.aahealth.or

g/gambrills

_

101107

_

files/slide0041.htm 
The Capital 10/3/07

West Count

y Groundwater Qualit

y 

http://www.aahealth.or

g/gambrills

_

101107

_

files/slide0035.htm 
The Capital 10/3/07

West Count

y Groundwater Qualit

y 

http://www.aahealth.or

g/gambrills

_

101107

_

files/slide0036.htm 
The Capital 10/3/07

West Count

y Groundwater Qualit

y 

http://www.aahealth.or

g/gambrills

_

101107

_

files/slide0037.htm 
The Capital 10/3/07

West Count

y Groundwater Qualit

y 

http://www.aahealth.or

g/gambrills

_

101107

_

files/slide0038.htm 
The Capital 9/26/07

West Count

y Groundwater Qualit

y 

http://www.aahealth.or

g/gambrills

_

101107

_

files/slide0039.htm 
References 

• Anne Arundel County Department of Health • Maryland Department of the Environment • U.S. Environmental Protection Agency 

• Maryland Department of Natural Resources Po

Plant Research Program 

• Anne Arundel County Department of Public 

Works 

• The Capital Newspaper 

West Count

y Groundwater Qualit

y 

http://www.aahealth.or

g/gambrills

_

101107

_

files/slide0013.htm 
The Capital 10/4/07

West Count

y Groundwater Qualit

y 

http://www.aahealth.or

g/gambrills

_

101107

_

files/slide0034.htm