A new automated pumping system is up and running at the Former Sodium Disposal Facility on the U.S. Department of Energy Office of Environmental Management’s Energy Technology Engineering Center site at the Santa Susana Field Laboratory.
Office of Environmental Management
July 9, 2024
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SIMI VALLEY, Calif. — A new automated pumping system is up and running at the Former Sodium Disposal Facility (FSDF) on the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) Office of Environmental Management’s (EM) Energy Technology Engineering Center (ETEC) site at the Santa Susana Field Laboratory (SSFL).
Located northwest of Los Angeles, California, SSFL is a 2,850-acre former rocket engine testing and energy research facility. DOE conducted research and development in Area IV, a 290-acre portion of SSFL, and EM is charged with cleanup of residual contamination that remains at the site.
Pumping water manually has taken place at FSDF since 2017 as part of interim cleanup measures “to protect groundwater by capturing and removing contaminated material, keeping it away from the deeper bedrock groundwater,” said Ian Lo, project engineer at the ETEC site.
When ETEC was in use as a nuclear energy and liquid metals research facility in the 1950s through 1980s, test equipment was placed in ponds at FSDF in Area IV for cleaning.
The design, development and installation of the new solar-powered automated system began in 2023 and was completed in May.
“The automation of the [well system] allows for more frequent [and] greater pumping volumes at the site,” Lo said. “Using solar power reduces the site’s energy needs, making it a more sustainable cleanup solution.”
Song Chen with U.S. Department of Energy Office of Environmental Management contractor CDM Smith checks the solar skid panel and reviews data on the human-machine interface software used for the automated groundwater interim measures project in Area IV at Santa Susana Field Laboratory. Photo courtesy of Sandra Ramos Hernandez.
Sandra Ramos Hernandez with U.S. Department of Energy Office of Environmental Management contractor CDM Smith adjusts the control valve for automated groundwater extraction well C-24 in Area IV at Santa Susana Field Laboratory. Photo courtesy of Song Chen.
Sandra Ramos Hernandez with U.S. Department of Energy Office of Environmental Management contractor CDM Smith adjusts the ball valve on piping manifold located at the 5,000-gallon double-walled groundwater storage tank installed as part of the automated groundwater interim measures project in Area IV at Santa Susana Field Laboratory. Photo courtesy of Song Chen.
The system automatically turns on as the sun rises and turns off when the sun sets, Lo said. It also has remote viewing and data collection capabilities, as well as built-in sensors that will shut it down and alert operators in the event of a system issue.
In the two months since automation began in May, more than 9,700 gallons have been pumped through the system. In comparison, a total of 2,344 gallons were pumped manually from the same four wells between January and March 2024.
“It is exciting to see this new automated groundwater extraction system come online to accelerate the DOE’s cleanup efforts at SSFL,” said Josh Mengers, EM’s federal project director at ETEC. “As we work with the state on final groundwater and soil cleanup plans, we’ll continue to innovate with safety and sustainability in mind, and use the latest science to complete this remediation.”
Since 2017, EM has removed more than 40,000 gallons of contaminated groundwater as part of its remediation work and due to efforts to ensure the site is ready to implement the proposed corrective measures.
In November 2020, DOE published a record of decision for groundwater cleanup at SSFL that describes monitoring and treatment approaches to addressing contaminants and potential areas affected at ETEC, as well as interim actions.
The California Department of Toxic Substances Control (DTSC), which regulates cleanup at the site, released a programmatic environmental impact report in June 2023 highlighting possible impacts of remediating contaminated soil and groundwater at Santa Susana. EM is also working with Boeing and NASA, which are responsible for remediating other portions of the site.
DOE is currently working with the state on final groundwater and soil treatment approaches that will be implemented once final plans have gone through the proper environmental process. After the DTSC approves the final groundwater and soil remediation plans, the next step will be a public comment period.
-Contributor: Melissa Simon
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