The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency announced on March 16 a proposed plan to address a contaminated groundwater plume at the San Fernando Valley (Area 2) Superfund site near Glendale. The agency is seeking public input and will consider all comments before selecting a final cleanup plan.
"EPA encourages the community to learn about our proposed Area 2 cleanup plan and share their perspectives. This proposal is an important step forward to protect groundwater and ensure safe drinking water for communities in the San Fernando Valley," said EPA Pacific Southwest Region Superfund and Emergency Management Director Michael Montgomery.
Area 2 covers approximately 6,680 acres and is one of four Superfund sites in the San Fernando Valley. Groundwater contamination in this area has resulted from former aerospace and other industrial activities. Since 2000, EPA's groundwater treatment system has made more than 58 billion gallons of groundwater safe for drinking, with all water currently served to the public meeting state and federal health and safety standards.
The proposed plan includes increasing the volume of groundwater pumped by existing extraction wells, installing a new well at the southern wellfield, adding an activated carbon treatment unit to improve operational reliability, reducing maintenance demands, and upgrading the chromium treatment unit. These actions are intended to strengthen ongoing efforts to contain the groundwater plume beneath Glendale and reduce overall contamination levels.
A 30-day public comment period for the proposed plan runs from March 16, 2026, through April 14, 2026. The EPA will host one in-person public meeting on March 25 at Glendale Arts & Culture Library from 5:30–7:30 p.m., where verbal and written comments will be accepted. A virtual meeting via Zoom will be held on April 1; while questions can be asked during this session, comments will not be accepted online.
The San Fernando Valley Superfund site was added to EPA's National Priority List on October 15, 1984. The federal Superfund program was established by Congress in 1980 to investigate and clean up complex hazardous waste sites across the country according to the official roster page.
