Residents of Gamber are growing impatient with the government?s response to area wells tainted by gas additives ? especially after a public meeting where officials admitted last month that they didn?t have enough monitoring wells to get a complete picture of the area?s water table.
A limited number of monitoring wells means investigators aren?t sure where most of the groundwater lies and in which direction it tends to flow, making it tougher to predict how contaminants will spread, said Jim Richmond, an inspector for the Maryland Department of the Environment. Now that the state has increased its funding, eight more monitoring wells are planned for the area by the summer, he said.
“Any one of these chemicals is a carcinogen,” said Jeffery Dix, 47, a Gamber resident whose well tested positive for benzene, xylene and the broken-down remains of methyl tertiary-butyl ether.
In 2003, tests showed benzene in Dix?s well water at 58 parts per billion ? 11 times the state?s maximum allowable level.
After the county Health Department conducted another test in 2005 and found the level had increased, MDE gave Dix a filtration system.
“I had a four-to-five carcinogen cocktail in my water,” Dix said.
Debra Weidman, who moved to Gamber last summer, had MTBE in her well at levels of 45 parts per billion ? above the state?s “action level” of 20-40 parts per billion, where contaminated water begins to smell and taste like turpentine.
When her state-installed filter stopped showing signs of MTBE in December, Weidman was told the underground “plume” of MTBE had moved south.
“I?ve been frustrated with their response,” Weidman said. “They need to be more proactive.”
Herb Meade, an administrator for MDE?s oil control program, said it is not unusual for some cases to remain open for years. Once the new wells are installed, MDE should be able to trace the chemical plume ? or plumes ? back to the source, Meade said.
