Davenport Works

Alcoa superfund report – remediation to contain/treat groundwater contamination apparently working

Remediation efforts to prevent contaminated groundwater at Alcoa's Davenport Works from reaching the Mississippi River appear to be working, according to a five-year analysis issued recently (7/28) by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).

The report states the system of wells and pumps around the site are preventing contaminated groundwater from moving offsite. Once captured, the contaminated water is treated to remove the pollutants: polychlorinated biphenyls (PCB's), volatile organic compounds (VOC's), polynuclear aromatic hydrocarbons (PAH's) and metals.

Public input on Alcoa water permit change extended after some initial notices had wording mix-up

The public will now have until the end of September to comment on Alcoa's request to increase by 24 percent the amount of oil/grease, chromium, zinc, cyanide and other suspended solids it is allowed to discharge into the Mississippi River each month.

The higher volumes of chemicals contained in wastewater from the Riverdale plant are generated by the recently completed expansion of the facility to serve the automotive aluminum market.

The Iowa Department of Natural Resources (IDNR) ordered the notice be republished because of a mix-up in wording in some of the initial notices. The result was another 30-day period for the public to submit comments on the proposed change. Citizens can submit comments until Sept. 30 by email to: linda.hoehn@alcoa.com, or in writing to the company at 4879 State St., Bettendorf, IA 52722.

Alcoa seeks approval to boost discharge of pollutants into Mississippi River by 24 percent

Alcoa's Davenport Works wants to increase the amount of pollutants it can discharge into the Mississippi River by 24 percent to accommodate higher quantities of oil/grease, chromium, zinc, cyanide and other suspended solids generated by expansion of the Riverdale plant to serve the automotive aluminum market.

The company is seeking modification of its National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) permit issued by the Iowa Department of Natural Resources (IDNR). The permit revisions, if approved, would allow the plant to discharge a combined average of 548 pounds of pollutants each day into the river. That's an average of 106 pounds per day more than the plant's current permitted discharge.

Based on the plant's 312 production days each year, the change would permit the plant to dispose of an additional 33,000 pounds of those pollutants into the river annually.

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