The farm was first cited for dumping violations in 1976 by the Gloucester County Board of Health, Malkin said. According to DEP records, inspections in 1984 showed evidence of soil and water contamination. Soil excavations began two years later, and by 1994 the DEP had ruled that the soil contamination had been removed. But groundwater contamination remained, Malkin said. One chemical, called trichloroethylene, was found in a concentration of 110,000 parts per billion.
Federal regulations allow one part per billion.
Residents could be exposed to the harsh chemicals only if the water seeped outside the contained area or if new wells were dug at the site, Malkin said. There are no plans to dig wells at the site, township officials said. Jack Sheppard, trustee for the site, declined to comment about remediation efforts. His firm, Construction Services International of Pennsylvania, has begun interim testing that would determine the best method for final cleanup. The process, he said, could take years and cost tens of thousands of dollars.