TUTU AREA ANNA'S RETREAT
The Tutu Wellfield site, located in a mountainous commercial/residential area, is comprised of a plume of contaminated groundwater covering an area approximately 108 acres in size. This contamination was first detected when a strong petroleum odor coming from the Tillet Well, a public water supply for the area, was reported. An investigation conducted by the Virgin Islands Department of Planning and Natural Resources (VIDPNR) indicated that volatile organic compounds (VOCs) were contaminating several public, institutional, commercial, and private wells. Water from some of these wells was transported to other parts of the island. Many contaminated wells, including the Tillet Well, were subsequently shut down. In 1987, an Administrative Order was issued to two potentially responsible parties (PRPs), Tutu Texaco Service Station and Tutu Esso Car Care Center. This order required them to investigate the impact that the release of petroleum from their underground storage tanks (USTs) and VOCs had on the surrounding environment. Additional PRPs identified by EPA include: two auto repair stations, a dry cleaner, and a government maintenance center. These operations contain various possible sources of contamination such as petroleum and waste oil USTs, drum storage areas, contaminated catch basins, oil separators, floor drains, a sump holding tank, a leaching pit, above-ground storage tanks, and an evaporation pit. These operations also involved various toxic materials, including solvent-based auto flushes, dry cleaning fluids, and dye strippers. Tutu Wellfield is part of the Upper Turpentine Run Basin. A stream leading to Turpentine Run is a few hundred feet from the site; Turpentine Run is approximately 3 miles from Mangrove Lagoon, which is hydraulically connected to the Caribbean Sea. The Atlantic Ocean is one mile from the site. Public and private wells within 4 miles of the site formerly supplied drinking water to an estimated 1,600 people. Site Responsibility: This site is being addressed through Federal and potentially responsible party actions.
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