The Corps of Engineers conducted an investigation from 2004 to 2014 to determine to what extent American University Experiment Station-related activities may have impacted the groundwater within the Formerly Used Defense Site. The investigation involved the installation of monitoring wells and the collection of samples from the wells and additional surface water locations. To date, the Corps of Engineers has installed 53 wells and collected a number of surface water samples.
Perchlorate has been detected at levels above the EPA interim drinking water health advisory of 15 parts per billion (ppb) at two locations in the project area, with a highest detection level of 146 ppb identified on American University’s campus. As a reminder, Spring Valley groundwater is not currently used as a drinking water source, but for comparison purposes, groundwater contaminant concentrations are compared to drinking water standards and advisories established by the EPA. The Corps of Engineers is currently working on the Groundwater Remedial Investigation Report (RI). Once the team obtains Partner consensus and approval, the Groundwater RI report will be finalized and available to the public on this public webpage and the Information Repository at the Tenley-Friendship Branch Library, 4450 Wisconsin Ave. N.W., Washington, D.C.