The aquifer that supplies the Newport Wellfield in Ohio is contaminated with trichloroethylene and its daughter products dichloroethylene and vinyl chloride. These toxic organic compounds were introduced into the aquifer during the 1960s and 1970s when local industries donated their waste products to the local volunteer fire department that used the chemicals in training exercises.
This study characterized the groundwater flow and transport of trichloroethylene, dichloroethylene, and vinyl chloride in the aquifer. Groundwater flow and plume migration were investigated through modeling analyses of site-specific geologic, pump test, and contaminant concentration data using AQTESOLV, Hydro GeoBuilder, and Visual MODFLOW. Based on model results, the uncontaminated production wells will not become contaminated in the future. Under the current pumping scheme, the aquifer will not meet MCL requirements for 6.5 years. Finally, this time could be reduced to less than 3 years if the pumping rate of the contaminated well is increased to 140 gpm and it is pumped continuously.