OSWER/OSRTI 

Washington, DC 20460 

NATIONAL PRIORITIES LIST (NPL) 

*** Final Site*** September 2012 

ORANGE VALLEY REGIONAL GROUND West Orange/Orange, New Jersey 

WATER CONTAMINATION Essex County 

 Site Location: 

The site is located in the municipalities of Orange and West Orange, Essex County, New Jersey. 

 Site History: 

During the course of a site investigation in West Orange, the EPA collected ground water samples from public supply 

wells. The public supply wells were found to contain tetrachloroethylene (PCE), trichloroethylene (TCE) and cis-1,2­

dichloroethylene (cis-1,2-DCE) in the Orange Park and Gist Place wells, with PCE and TCE exceeding the EPA Safe 

Drinking Water Act maximum contaminant levels (MCLs). Water department data for the period of January to June 2009 

confirms the constant presence of contaminants in the wells. The EPA site investigation identified some possible sources of 

contamination approximately one mile west of the contaminated wells, and review of available databases and state files 

identified several other possible sources of contamination in the vicinity of the wells. 

 Site Contamination/Contaminants: 

The site consists of a ground water plume for which there are numerous possible sources of contamination. Chlorinated 

solvents (i.e., PCE, TCE and cis-1,2-DCE) are present in public supply wells, with PCE and TCE exceeding the MCLs. 

PCE and TCE are chlorinated solvents that are commonly used in commercial/industrial operations such as dry cleaning 

and metal degreasing, and cis-1,2-DCE is a common breakdown product of both. 

 Potential Impacts on Surrounding Community/Environment: 

The Orange Park and Gist Place wells serve a combined population of more than 10,000 people. The water department 

treats the extracted ground water to remove volatile organic compounds (VOCs) such as PCE and TCE prior to distribution. 

The former Brook Lane public supply well, which is located between the Orange Park and Gist Place wells, is out of 

operation due to contamination. There are several other public supply wells located within four miles of the site. 

 Response Activities (to date): 

The Orange Water Department has installed treatment systems to remove VOCs from the contaminated ground water prior 

to distribution, and monitors the water quality and treatment system effectiveness regularly. 

 Need for NPL Listing: 

The state of New Jersey referred this site to the EPA. Other federal and state cleanup programs were evaluated, but are 

not viable at this time. The EPA received a letter of support for placing this site on the NPL from the state. 

[The description of the site (release) is based on information available at the time the site was evaluated with the HRS. The description may change 

as additional information is gathered on the sources and extent of contamination.] 

For more information about the hazardous substances identified in this narrative summary, including general information regarding the effects of exposure to these 

substances on human health, please see the Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry (ATSDR) ToxFAQs. ATSDR ToxFAQs can be found on the Internet 

at http://www.atsdr.cdc.gov/toxfaqs/index.asp or by telephone at 1-888-42-ATSDR or 1-888-422-8737.