DRINKING WATER WELLS OF FOUR (4) RESIDENTIAL PROPERTIES, THE CLOSEST OF WHICH IS LOCATED APPROXIMATELY 600 YARDS FROM FAIRCHILD SEMICONDUCTOR PROPERTY, HAVE BEEN FOUND TO BE CONTAMINATED WITH TCE. TCE CONTAMINATION IN THESE WELLS RANGE FROM 18 TO 160 PARTS PER BILLION (PPB) FROM SAMPLING CONDUCTED ON DECEMBER 1 AND 2, 20004. EPA RESPONDED AFTER THE FINDINGS BY IMMEDIATELY PROVIDING THESE HOMES WITH PUBLIC WATER, AND HAVE SINCE CONNECTED THE HOMNES TO A MUNICIPAL WATERLINE.
IT IS SUSPECTED THAT FAIRCHILD, AND ITS PREDECESSORS SUCH AS GE, RCA, AND HARRIS CORP., COULD BE POTENTIALLY RESPONSIBLE PARTIES FOR THE CONTAMINATION DUE TO EHRI KNOWN USE OF TCE AND THE PROXIMITY OF THE FACILITY TO THE HOMES. IT IS ANTICIPATED THAT THE AGREEMENT WILL ALLOW EPA TO MAKE THIS DETERMINATION BY REQUIRING FAIRCHILD TO CHARACTERIZE THE GROUNDWATER BENEATH THEIR FACILITY, SPECIFICALLY FOCUSING ON TCE AND METALS CONTAMINATION, AND TO DETERMINE THE DIRECTION OF GROUNDWATER FLOW.