RES 94-26 DECLARATION OF EMERGENCY REGARDING WYCOFF WELLWATER QUALITYRESOLUTION NO. 94-26
A RESOLUTION of the City of Bainbridge Island,
Washington, declaring an emergency in accordance
with Bainbridge Island Municipal Code 3.72.090,
and waiving provisions of BIMC 3.72.040 or 3.72.070
for the Rockaway Beach Water System (Local Improvement
District No. 17).
WHEREAS, Bainbridge Island Municipal Code section 3.72.090 requires the City
Council to approve the declaration of an emergency; and
WHEREAS, the US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), as the lead agency
responsible for the Wycoff "Superfund Site", has made continuous and routine
samples of the "Wycoff well" providing drinking water to the Rockaway Beach Water system;
and
WHEREAS, a recent sample of the "Wycoff well" indicated a possible contamination at
the lowest possible level of detection; and
WHEREAS, due to the construction of the "Wycoff well", EPA and the Bremerton-
Kitsap County Health District are extremely concerned about the structural integrity due to the
type of construction of the well casing and the protection of the various aquifers from the
contaminated surface soils; and
WHEREAS, both the EPA and the Bremerton-Kitsap County Health District have
provided letters to the City stressing the imminent failure of the "Wycoff well" and the need to
expedite the replacement of the Rockaway Beach Water source and system.
THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF BAINBRIDGE ISLAND, WASHINGTON,
DOES RESOLVE AS FOLLOWS:
Section 1. The tenuous situation of the "Wycoff well" requires expeditious action on the
part of the City.
Section 2. In accordance with BIMC 3.72.090, provisions of 3.72.040 or 3.72.070 are
waived for the design and construction of the Rockaway Beach Water system (LID No. 17).
PASSED by the City Council this 2nd day of June, 1994.
APPROVED by the Mayor this 3rd day of June, 1994.
~sPFZR, CityUTHfilff'~"~ler~~'/
JANET K. WEST, Mayor
1-~06-~78-~0~1 ENUIRONMENT~L HEALTH 0~ PO~ JUN 0~ '~4 0~:51
BREMER TON-KITS,4P CO UNTY HEAL TH DIS TRICT
D'ILL4 A. FISHEI~; MD,, AIPK, DIRECTOR
109 ihatin Drive
Bremerton, PFashington 98312
Environmental Health Division
(206) 478-5285 FAX 478-5298
June 1, 1994
Lynn Nordby
Bainbridge City Manager
625 Winslow Way East
Bainbridge Island, WA 98110
RE: R~quest for expeditious processing and approval of proposed LID 17;
Rockaway Beach Water System
Dear Mr. Nordby:
The source of drinking water supply for the Rockaway Beach water system is located on
the contaminated Wycoff site. The supply was devcloped at thc turn of the century prior
to current protective standards. State Drinking Water Regulations (WAC 246-290-135
Source Protection) requires thc source be protected with a minimum sanitary control area
of one hundred feet. This does not exist for the Rockaway Beach well. The well casing
extends through contaminated soils to the aquifer and provich:s the only protection from
the contamination. The thin wall well casing is in danger of collapse due to its age and
type of material. If this happens, the residents will not have a potable source of water. In
addition, there is a danger that the aquifer would be contaminat~l thus affecting other
wells in the area. The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) needs to abandon the
well and seal off the aquifer from potential contamination as soon as possible.
This office requests processing and approval of the proposed LID 17 on an emergency
basis to expedite connection of the Rockaway Beach COmmunity tO the new city wells.
This will allow EPA to proceed with sealing of the fragile well casing now in use.
Don M~es RS
Dir. Environmental Health
Bill Bryan City of Bainbridge Public Works
Jim Bleecker, Rockaway Beach Association
Elizabeth Raysby, WA. Dept. Of Health
In Reply
Refer To:
UNITED STATES ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY
REGION 10
1200 Sixth Avenue
Seattle, Washington 98101
MAY 2 71994
HW-113
Lynn Nordby
Bainbridge City Manager
625 Winslow Way East
Bainbridge Island, WA 98110
Subject: Drinking Water wells located on the Wyckoff site
Dear Mr. Nordby:
EPA is extremely concerned about the potential for contamination of the
two drinking water wells, located on the Wyckoff facility, which supply the
Rockaway Beach community. Both of these wells are located in an area of the
facility where there are extremely high levels of polynuclear aromatic
hydrocarbon (PAH) contaminants in the soils. In addition the groundwater in
the upper aquifer is already contaminated with PAHs and has both dense and
light non-aqueous phase liquids (DNAPL and LNAPL) present. A map showing the
location of the wells relative to the presence of DNAPL in the upper aquifer
is attached.
Both of the wells are in imminent danger of collapsing or developing
leaks. A collapse of the casing or the development of a leak would lead to a
situation where contaminated drinking water would be consumed by the Rockaway
Beach residents. The failed wells could act as conduits, introducing the
contaminants to the lower aquifer which is a source of drinking water for
other wells. It is not a matter of if these wells will have a problem, it is
a matter of when.
EPA would like to abandon these wells before the potential for exposure
to contaminants in drinking water becomes a reality. We therefore encourage
the city to connect the Rockaway Beach community to the new supply well in an
expedited manner. We would like to coordinate our efforts with yours. Please
keep us informed of your progress. Thank you.
Site Manager
cc w/attachment: Guy Barrett, Ecology
Elizabeth Raysby, WA Dept of Health
Jack Morris, WA Dept of Health
Don Miles, Bremerton/Kitsap county Health District
Ric Robinson, ATSDR
Jim Bleecker, Rockaway Beach Association
O Printecl on Recycled Paper
NPE69131.06 / R 1 R0 ! 5-26-94 / CJS
Pir~s
Eagle Harbor
<\\, %"
\ ,/'
· .,. "" EL ~
/' \ ,/'
Approx Edge of Trees
Water conveyance
system piping
NOES: 1. Monitoring and roundwater extraction well locations and selected structures based on land surve
and 7-30-92 aedal photographs. ' and roads based on EPA 64 063
2. Water supply well designations per U.S. Naval Radio Station Map, 1943.
Area where DNAPL has been
groundwater
monitoring wells
/
/
-WELL C (813' deep)
Appmx Edge of RipRap
Buded Wingwall
Buried Bulkhead
Puget
Sound
Figure 1
LOCATION OF ROCKAWAY BEACH
WATER SUPPLY WELLS
STATE OF WASHINGTON
RECEIVED
DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH
PUBLIC WORKS
SOUTHWEST DRINKING WATER OPERATIONS
2411 ~cificAve. · ~O. Box47823 · Olymp~, Washin~on 9~04-7823 · (206)664-0768~
[
May 24, 1994
Steve Hirschey
Department of Ecology
Northwest R~gional Office
3190 160th Avenue SE
Bellevue, Washington 98008-5452
SUBJECT:
Rockaway Beach Water System,
ID#734507, Kitsap County; Water
Right Application G1-26704
Dear Steve:
I am writing this letter on behalf the City of Bainbridge and the
existing customers on the Rockaway Beach Water System. I am
requesting that the water right for Taylor Avenue well be
expedited, if at all possible, because I would consider this a
"health" emergency as the two existing wells it will replace are
located on an EPA Superfund site. In addition, Peter Rubenstein,
Project Site Manager with EPA, has indicated that the two existing
wells on Wycoff property are also in "imminent danger of collapse"
and they desire to get these wells properly abandoned (i.e.,
decommissioned) as quickly as possible.
I know that our two Departments are currently meeting to discuss
procedures for working through water resources issues. However,
this particular situation I feel warrants immediate attention.
If you have any questions about the Wycoff site, I recommend that
you contact Peter Rubenstein with EPA at (206) 553-1067 or Guy
Barrett with your own Department. They are probably the most
familiar with site conditions. In short, by getting the Rockaway
Beach households on to the new well, the existing wells can be
properly abandoned which should reduce the threat of the
contamination spreading.
As I understand, Kitsap PUD No. I and the City of Bainbridge
Jointly submitted a water rights application. Your Department
assigned it an application number, G1-26704, back in September
1992. I am not sure where in the water right process this
application currently is.
Steve Hirschey$ May 24, 1994 - page 2 of 2
I believe that the City of Bainbridge will be stepping up to their
responsibility of providing water service to failing water systems
on the island and is planning on managing the new water system
proposed for Rockaway Beach. The City has submitted a Water System
Plan for their existing Winslow water system to our Department for
review and approval. We have been working with the City to expand
this Plan to address Satellite System Management and the City~s
responsibilities for water service on the entire island. The City
will also be addressing water resources in their Growth Management
Plan. In addition, Kitsap PUD No. i is funding a Water Resource
Study for Bainbridge Island.
If you have any questions, please call ms at (206) 586-5209.
WSDOH Regional Engineer
SW Drinking Water Operations
EAR: lr
CC~
Peter Rubenstein, EPA (Superfund)
Guy Barrett, Ecology (Toxics)
Jack Morris, WSDOH (Toxics)
Kimberly Kenner, Bremerton-Kitsap County Health Department
Don Miles Bremert -Kitsa County Health Department
Dave Siburg, Kitsap PUD No. 1
Bill Liechty, WSDOH SW Drinking Water Section Head
Mark Shuppe, NW Dept. of Ecology
Sean Orr, WSDOH SW Regional Planner
£0 ' d
0I :gI
NPF69t31,06 / R 1 R0 / 5-26-94 / CJS
Eagle Harbor
Area where DNAPL has been
detected In groundWater
monitoring wells
WELL C (8t 3' deep)
/
/
Water conveyance
system piping
Cs~o~d
2. Water supply well designations per U.S. Naval Radio STation Map, 1943.
\ /
Puget
Sound
Figure 1
-LOCATION OF ROCKAWAy BEACH
WATER SUPPLY WELLS