Arsenic, mercury found in groundwater at G.I. airport

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By The Associated Press

GRAND ISLAND— Federal officials found mercury and arsenic in groundwater at the Central Nebraska Regional Airport in Grand Island.

The arsenic levels were above safe drinking water standards, but the substance hasn’t been traced to the airfield, a state official said.

The mercury level was within the safe drinking water standard.

“There is a little contamination there, but nothing that warrants immediate action from EPA,” said Brian Mitchell, the Nebraska site assessment manager for the EPA’s Kansas City office.

The testing included the airport and neighboring property.

Test results were mailed to property owners, including two who were using wells contaminated with arsenic for drinking water, Mitchell said. Federal officials had already spoken to those well owners.

Preliminary evidence suggests the arsenic “is from naturally occurring sources,” said Brian McManus of the Nebraska Department of Environmental Quality.

Arsenic was found at a level of 58.3 micrograms per liter, Mitchell said. The safe level is 10 micrograms per liter.

Mercury levels of two micrograms per liter is considered safe; officials measured the groundwater at 1.54 micrograms per liter.

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency has been testing former defense sites in Nebraska. The airport site was active as a military airfield from 1942 to 1948 and again between 1962 and 1969, according to government records.

Airport officials had not received test results, said Mike Olson, the airport’s executive director.

The contaminants could come from welding, bullet rounds, maintaining military vehicles and planes and related activities.

The agency was also testing a former bombing range southeast of the city and a former target range about 10 miles northeast of the city.

The bombing range resulted with no concerns while the agency is following up on the target range because lead was found there, Mitchell said.