Project Location
Orange County,
CA
Client
Orange County Water District
Market Sector
Project Type
- Manufacturing
Project Disciplines
Project Highlights
- Evaluated groundwater contamination across a two-square-mile portion of the South Basin aquifer.
- Analyzed thousands of groundwater sample results to define contaminant conditions and support remedial planning.
- Prepared a comprehensive feasibility study evaluating multiple groundwater cleanup alternatives.
Project Description
The South Basin Groundwater Protection Project focused on evaluating and advancing cleanup strategies for groundwater contamination affecting a two-square-mile portion of the aquifer beneath Irvine, Santa Ana, and Tustin, CA. This project addressed chemicals remaining from decades-old manufacturing activities and supported ongoing efforts to better understand contaminant conditions, evaluate potential remedies, and protect valuable groundwater resources.
The project team prepared a Supplemental Remedial Investigation that incorporated and evaluated thousands of groundwater sample results collected from numerous source properties and previous investigations. This work helped define the nature and extent of contaminants, evaluate their movement through the groundwater system, develop a conceptual site model, and support baseline human health and ecological risk assessments.
Building on this investigation, our team prepared a comprehensive feasibility study to evaluate potential interim remedial actions and identify effective approaches for groundwater cleanup. A range of alternatives were considered, including monitored natural attenuation, groundwater extraction and treatment, in-situ chemical oxidation, and combined in-situ and extraction and treatment approaches.
Each alternative was evaluated based on its technical effectiveness, implementability, environmental considerations, and overall performance. The study also incorporated green and sustainable remediation practices and included coordination with regulatory agencies and technical stakeholders throughout the review process. The completed product provided the technical foundation needed to compare cleanup alternatives and support the continued development of a groundwater protection and remediation strategy for the South Basin.
Work performed by Engineering Analytics, Inc., now part of MacKay.