Governor Doug Ducey Announces $2 Million In State Funding To Restart Tucson Water Treatment Plant (TARP)

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Press Release

PHOENIX (June 21, 2021) — Governor Doug Ducey and the Arizona Department of Environmental Quality today announced $2 million in state funding to help Tucson Water restart a treatment plant (TARP). Severe groundwater contamination forced the project to shut down.

The new state funding will fast-track efforts to bring the Tucson Airport Remediation Plant (TARP) back online. It will also safely continue treating contaminated groundwater in the area.

“Making sure all Arizonans receive safe and clean drinking water remains a top priority of our state,” said Doug Ducey. He is the Governor of Arizona. “This funding will help Tucson Water bring an important water treatment facility back online. It will also secure Tucson’s water supply for future generations. Every source of water in Arizona is critical as we face drought conditions and the risk of a drier future.”

Operations of TARP

Tucson Water will suspend operations of the TARP. This is due to increasing levels of per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) in nearby groundwater while constructing a State-funded temporary pipeline and permanent outfall structure. This structure will convey treated water leaving TARP to the dry riverbed of the Santa Cruz River north of Irvington Road. ADEQ as well as Tucson Water are working on an intergovernmental agreement to approve the funding this week.

“We continue to call on the federal government to take prompt action to address PFAS contamination in Arizona,” Governor Ducey added. “Arizona is acting now to contain the threat of PFAS, but we are asking the U.S. Department of Defense (DOD) to address DOD-related PFAS contamination of groundwater throughout Arizona and protect the health and safety of Arizonans.”

Tucson Water has operated TARP since 1994. It has successfully treated and contained a plume of contaminated groundwater near Tucson International Airport. TARP focuses on removing industrial chemicals TCE and 1,4-Dioxane and delivering the cleaned water into the drinking water system. On June 8, the utility announced that out of an abundance of caution it would suspend operations on June 21. This is due to rising levels of newer contaminants in the area groundwater. PFAS are also emanating from the airport area. Tucson Water is seeking alternative end-uses for the treated water. Discharge in the Santa Cruz River is on alternative. Tucson Water’s reclaimed water system is another.

Tucson Water assures the public that contaminated water has not been served to customers from TARP. These measures are being pursued to protect public health. They also ensure no contaminants enter the drinking water system in the future.

Subsequently, Arizona’s investment will help the City of Tucson get the plant back online as quickly as possible. This is critical to meeting the plant’s original mission. This plant’s goal is to contain the decades-old plume of groundwater contaminated with TCE and 1,4-Dioxane. “ADEQ and the State of Arizona join the City of Tucson in our commitment to protect the drinking water supply for all Tucsonans,” said ADEQ Director Misael Cabrera. “TARP was not designed to remove PFAS. Tucson Water has invested millions of dollars to keep the water safe from these compounds. Pursuing alternative end-uses for treated TARP water is a prudent move that will allow the plant to return to service. The $2 million from the state will expedite getting TARP safely back online. It will also prevent the plume of groundwater contamination from spreading outside of the treatment zone.”

Current Mitigiation

“City-state partnership has been and will continue to be important to ensure the safety and long-term security of our local water supply,” said Mayor Regina Romero. “Tucson’s Mayor and Council have already invested millions of local dollars to treat PFAS contamination. Still, there is an urgent need for the federal government and responsible parties to initiate or provide funding for large-scale PFAS cleanup efforts. Tucson Water ratepayers are not responsible for PFAS contamination. They should not be left with the bill.”

Tucson Water officials emphasize that building the pipeline does not mean it will be discharging untreated water into the Santa Cruz River. “When TARP reopens, we’ll still be treating this water to a very high standard prior to any discharge to the river,” said Interim Tucson Water Director John Kmiec. “We will also continue our vigilance by monitoring the water quality coming out of TARP every week. This project provides a temporary measure to keep TARP running. It keeps the TCE plume contained until a long-term solution to address PFAS in this part of our aquifer is developed.”

Government Funding for PFAS Contamination

The announcement marks the second time in recent months that the state has deployed funds to address PFAS in Tucson’s groundwater supply. Previously, in December 2020, ADEQ committed $3.3 million from the state’s limited Water Quality Assurance Revolving Fund to stop PFAS from impacting key Tucson drinking water sources. ADEQ is conducting an accelerated investigation and designing an early response action north of Davis-Monthan Air Force Base. The plan aims to protect Tucson Water’s central wellfield, a critical component of the community’s long-term water supply.

In April, Governor Doug Ducey sent a letter to U.S. Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin calling on the Department of Defense to take prompt action to address Pentagon-related groundwater contamination near Arizona’s military installations.

Finally, to date, Tucson Water has spent over $8 million to address PFAS locally. They continue to test all drinking water sources for the compounds across its 390 square mile service area. This includes turning off contaminated wells in addition to drilling new ones in clean areas, and removing PFAS at TARP. The utility is spending millions more to make a connection to the reclaimed system. The City of Tucson has filed a lawsuit against the manufacturers of PFAS compounds. It will pursue all of its available legal remedies to obtain reimbursement for all of the City’s — and now ADEQ’s — expenses from these as well as other potentially responsible parties.

Contact

ADEQ Public Information Officer | 602-540-8072 (cell) | Email >

SAEMS logo TARP press release from ADEQ

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