FW: ADDITIONAL GROUNDWATER TESTING SHOW NO TRITIUM LEVEL INCREASE INOTHER HANFORD WELLS

["Dukelow, James S Jr" <jim.dukelow@pnl.gov>]

Here is some additional information about the elevated levels of tritium on the
Hanford Site.

Best regards.

Jim Dukelow
Pacific Northwest National Laboratory
Richland, WA
jim.dukelow@pnl.gov

-----Original Message-----
From:	^PNNL Communications 
Sent:	Friday, February 18, 2000 11:33 AM
Subject:	ADDITIONAL GROUNDWATER TESTING SHOW NO TRITIUM LEVEL INCREASE IN
OTHER HANFORD WELLS

This message came from DOE-RL and may be of interest to staff at PNNL.
*********************************

Results from recently completed groundwater analyses at the U.S. Department of
Energy's (DOE) Hanford Site do not show elevated tritium levels in groundwater
at other wells in the area where high concentrations of tritium were recently
reported.  

"Although these readings appear to be localized to a single well in this area,
we're still concerned about the high concentrations of tritium," said Mike
Thompson, DOE Acting Program Manager of the Groundwater/Vadose Zone Project.
"We will continue moving quickly to confirm the source of this tritium,
determine how fast and in what direction it is moving, and develop a course for
corrective action."

DOE developed a plan to quickly obtain information after a sample taken from
well 699-13-3A near the 618-11 burial ground in January indicated tritium levels
in excess of eight million picocuries per liter (pCi/L).  In January 1999, a
sample from the same well showed tritium levels of 1.8 million pCi/L.  The
drinking water standard for tritium is 20,000 pCi/L. 

Well 699-13-3A was sampled along with 21 other wells during the weeks of
February 7 and 14.  Results indicate continued high concentrations of tritium in
699-13-3A, while the other wells were consistent with tritium values expected or
already known from the existing tritium plume beneath the Hanford Site.  Values 
found in the other wells during this sampling ranged from below detection to
55,000 pCi/L.  Well 699-13-3A still indicated a tritium level at approximately
eight million pCi/L.

"I am pleased with the speed with which our team developed and acted on a
sampling plan," said Thompson.  "We have had good cooperation from Energy
Northwest, the Environmental Protection Agency, Washington State Departments of
Ecology and Health, City of Richland and the stakeholder community."

Although the high concentrations of tritium appear to be localized to an area
adjacent to the 618-11 burial ground, DOE and its contractors will work quickly
to identify the size, direction, concentration and source of this tritium plume.
When more information is obtained from additional testing, the potential impact
of this tritium plume on the environment can be better determined.

Additional laboratory analysis available at the end of the month is expected to
provide data on other radionuclides and chemicals in the groundwater, which will
further help pinpoint the source of the tritium. 

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