Photos courtesy of Savannah River Nuclear Solutions, NASA's Earth Observatory, Defense Nuclear Facilities Safety Board and Department of Energy

The U.S. Department of Energy's Office of Environmental Management (EM) team has successfully implemented a unique groundwater remediation system at the Savannah River Site (SRS). By injecting more than 100 million gallons of artesian well water, they're cleaning up shallow groundwater contaminated by decades of coal storage.

The contamination is a legacy of over 60 years of power plant operation, which left soils acidic and metals leaching into the groundwater. Even after coal removal, rainwater continued to pass through the acidic soils, affecting the groundwater.

"This system passively ensures a neutral buffering to groundwater to help correct the currently overly acidic conditions in groundwater caused by the decades of storage of coal in the area," said Ashley Shull, senior scientist for EM contractor Savannah River Nuclear Solutions (SRNS).

Working with regulators, SRNS began the injection process in March 2022. While the passive technology is adjusting the groundwater balance, full restoration will take time, with SRS tracking progress through regular monitoring.

Mike Budney, manager of the DOE-Savannah River Operations Office, praised the sustainable alternative that taps into the natural benefits of artesian well water to enhance the environment. He noted DOE and SRS's longstanding approach to remediation that identifies opportunities for cost-effective, less labor- and equipment-centered methods, opting for passive technology when practicable.

Rasheed Muwwakkil, SRNS senior project engineer, thanked the team for their hard work and communication with the DOE and regulators to support this major milestone in groundwater remediation. He called it a great and historic accomplishment to be proud of.

EM recently shipped legacy cleanup equipment from the Savannah River Site (SRS) to an offsite disposal facility, marking a significant step in improving safety and advancing the site's waste management efforts.

The equipment, which includes a sampling drill string, bubblers, and glass pumps, was used in the SRS's liquid waste program but has been in storage at the site since 2006. The shipment was made possible by a 2019 DOE interpretation of the high-level waste definition, which classifies waste based on its radiological characteristics rather than its origin to ensure proper disposal.

Savannah River Mission Completion (SRMC), EM's liquid waste contractor at SRS, properly packaged the sampling drill string in a transport container and sealed it for shipment to a disposal site outside of South Carolina. Future shipments of used bubblers and pumps will continue as the Defense Waste Processing Facility (DWPF) replaces them during operations to immobilize high-level waste in glass for safe storage and disposal.

"By moving this equipment that has completed its purpose within the Liquid Waste Program from SRS and from the state to its permanent disposal location, we are making strides to better protect our surrounding communities and our workers," said Jim Folk, DOE-Savannah River's assistant manager for waste disposition. SRMC President and Program Manager Dave Olson added that the company's workforce has developed strict procedures to safely package, store, and transport the equipment for disposal.