The Former Capitol Castings Facility (the Site) has been managed under the oversight of the Arizona Department of Environmental Quality (ADEQ) Voluntary Remediation Program (VRP) since 2002. The Site is located at 5857 South Kyrene Road in Tempe. It is bounded by Western Canal and Kiwanis Park to the north and east, Kyrene Road to the west, and Guadalupe Road to the south.

The Site operations began in 1953 as a secondary steel foundry that produced various steel castings used primarily by the mining industry for wear-resistant and structural applications. Victoria Technology, Inc. (VTI) owned and operated the facility from 1988 until 1994, when the facility was purchased by ME International. ME International’s successor, ME Elecmetal, currently owns and operates the facility as a metals casting facility.

The chemicals of concern (COCs) are benzene, toluene, ethylbenzene, and total xylenes (collectively referred to as BTEX), 1,1,-dichlorethene (1,1-DCE), and 1,2-dichloroethane (1,2-DCA).

The hydrogeology at the site consists of a multi-layered aquifer system and is divided into five primary water-bearing zones (S, D, D2, D3, D4) and two fine-grained, non-water bearing units (A, A2), described as follows:

• S-Zone: A water-bearing zone from ground surface to 112 feet below ground surface (bgs) with average depth to water of 65 feet bgs. This zone is a perched aquifer consisting of fine-grained sediment with caliche.
• D-Zone: A water-bearing zone generally located between 112 to 138 feet bgs. This zone consists of predominantly sand and/or gravel sediments.
• A-Zone: A non-water bearing zone from 138 to 174 feet bgs. This zone consists of low permeability primarily fine grained sediments with some coarse-grained intervals.
• D2-Zone: A water-bearing zone generally located between 174 to 207 feet bgs. This zone consists of predominantly sand and/or gravel sediments.
• A2-Zone: A non-water bearing zone from 207 to 250 feet bgs. This zone consists of low permeability primarily fine grained sediments with some coarse-grained intervals.
• D3-Zone: A water-bearing zone generally located between 250 to 335 feet bgs. This zone consists of predominantly sand and/or gravel sediments.
• D4-Zone: A water-bearing zone generally located between 335 feet bgs to approximately 600 feet bgs. This zone is a sedimentary rock aquifer made up of breccia/conglomerate.

The Site is currently in the Proposed Remedial Action Plan phase, following the Water Quality Assurance Revolving Fund (WQARF) requirements found in Arizona Administrative Code Title 18, Chapter 16 (Ref: A.A.C. R18-16-408). As with any site that is remediated through the VRP where offsite groundwater impacts are present, the WQARF requirements must be followed at this Site.

The Remedial Objectives for the Site, established during the Remedial Investigation phase of the WQARF process, are:

1. To protect against a loss or impairment of each industrial use of groundwater pumped from ME’s groundwater supply wells that is threatened to be lost or impaired as a result of the 1,1-DCE, while such threat exists; and
2. To protect against a loss or impairment of each municipal, agricultural, industrial or other beneficial use of groundwater pumped from the Salt River Project’s groundwater supply wells that is threatened to be lost or impaired as a result of the 1,1-DCE, while such threat exists.

The approved remedy established during the Feasibility Study phase of the WQARF process, is continued groundwater monitoring. A contingency has been established with the remedy, which includes installation of an intercept well should certain trigger levels during monitoring indicate imminent risk to groundwater receptors. The intercept well would be used to perform controlled migration utilizing pumping with treatment via granular activated carbon.

See Also:

• Proposed Remedial Action Report -- (PDF)
• 30-Day Public Notice to Comment on Proposed Remedial Action Report -- (PDF)

For more information about the Site, please contact:

Joey Pace, Project Manager
ADEQ Voluntary Remediation Program
602-771-4818

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